Book of War Gorge

Book of War Gorge

Book of War Gorge is located on the Xiangjiang River in Xiangkouling Village, Lubutou Township, Dong’an County. About a hundred meters from the riverbank, four black rectangular stone slabs are stacked on the cliffs, resembling four massive volumes of an ancient book. The Yongzhou Prefecture Annals from before the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty recorded: “There are military treatises on the cliff, but the steepness prevents anyone from retrieving them.” The Ming Dynasty geographer Xu Xiake once visited out of curiosity and documented this scenic wonder in his travelogue, The Travels of Xu Xiake. Legend has it that these military treatises are none other than the world-renowned Sun Bin’s Art of War. Many greedy individuals have tried to claim them, but none have succeeded. As for where the treatises came from and why they cannot be taken away, numerous fascinating local legends offer various explanations. If you’re curious, you might want to visit Book of War Gorge yourself—you may just come to understand the mystery.