Dalian City

Dalian City

Dalian City is a national key cultural relics protection unit and a classic red tourism scenic area.

Dalian City is located 1.5 kilometers north of Pingxiang City. Also known as Darui City and commonly referred to as Liancheng, it boasts picturesque scenery, unique caves, and beautiful rock formations. It is a distinctive tourist destination in Guangxi and a national key cultural relics protection unit.

After the Sino-French War, the imperial court appointed Su Yuanchun as the Guangxi Border Defense Viceroy. In consideration of the need to strengthen border defenses, Su moved the viceroy’s office from Liuzhou to Longzhou. Since Longzhou was too far from Zhenning Pass, to facilitate military command and troop deployment, he established Dalian City in Pingxiang, setting up the viceroy’s temporary headquarters and personally overseeing its defense. Thus, Dalian City became the military command center of Guangxi’s border region at the time, equivalent to today’s Guangxi Military Region Headquarters.

The scenery of Dalian City can be broadly summarized by four words: “camps, palaces, wells, and caves.” “Camps” refers to ancient military facilities such as artillery batteries, stone fortifications, old barracks, and government offices scattered across mountaintops and valleys; “palace” refers to the Temple of the God of War; “wells” refers to four ancient wells named Fu (Prosperity), Lu (Wealth), Shou (Longevity), and Xi (Happiness); and “caves” refers to the White Jade Cave.

Su Yuanchun once wrote a poem praising Dalian City: “Amid gathered peaks, the linked city stands proud; / A million troops lie hidden here, unbowed. / Arms stacked, grain stored — our roots run deep and strong; / Such impregnable terrain is Nature’s own song.” This poem not only extols the splendid scenery of Dalian City but also highlights its status as a towering and strategically vital military fortress. Through nearly two decades of development under Su Yuanchun, Dalian City became a grand, meticulously planned, solidly fortified, and combined civil-military political and military hub along Guangxi’s border at the end of the Qing Dynasty.

As a key military stronghold, Dalian City was heavily guarded, with four fortified barriers — front, rear, left, and right — set up at strategic mountain passes connecting it to the outside world. These barriers were built from large square stone blocks, equipped with gates, and controlled the main access points in and out of Dalian City. Eight medium-sized artillery batteries and numerous bunkers and stone fortifications were constructed on the surrounding hilltops. Together, these barriers, batteries, bunkers, and fortifications formed an interconnected defensive network, creating a robust circular defensive line — what people often called the “inner city” of Dalian City. The names “Dalian City” and “Darui City” originated from this setup. On the cliffs near the front gate, the four large characters “Liancheng Tianxian” (“Dalian City’s Natural Fortress”) are engraved.

What has been described above is just the “inner city” of Dalian City. To ensure absolute security, an “outer city” was also constructed, consisting of five large artillery batteries: Weilian Front Platform, Left Platform, Right Platform, Central Platform, and Rear Platform. Each battery was equipped with one of the most advanced 120mm fortress cannons of the 19th century, produced by the German Krupp arms factory, capable of striking enemies approaching from any direction.

Within the Dalian City scenic area lies the White Jade Cave attraction. The cave features translucent, jade-like stalactites, hence its name “Wang Cave” (King Cave). The cave is divided into three levels, with inner spaces including a meditation room and a guest reception area. After the Sino-French War, Su Yuanchun, a renowned general of the late Qing Dynasty, made Dalian City the command center for the entire Guangxi border region, and the White Jade Cave served as his office and summer retreat. His inscriptions can be found throughout the cave, with some of the more famous ones being “Another Penglai” and “The Moon Shares the Sky with Me.” The latter inscription reportedly led to the false accusation that Su Yuanchun was plotting rebellion and attempting to “divide the empire with the Emperor,” resulting in his exile to Xinjiang. The cave’s stunning scenery, uniquely shaped stalactites, and moving legends have made the White Jade Cave a renowned historical site, attracting countless visitors for nostalgia and sightseeing.

Among the local border communities, Su Yuanchun is remembered as a patriotic general with strong national integrity. It is said that after installing a cannon at the central platform of the Weilian Battery, Su ordered a gunner surnamed Long to test-fire it. The gunner aimed at a French military camp over 30 kilometers away and fired three shots, blasting off a corner of the French battery. French officers protested strongly, but Su Yuanchun responded, “Our cannons are meant for use against you. If not you ‘foreign devils,’ then who should we use as target practice? Should we use our own batteries?” His retort left the French officers speechless.