Tiansheng City Ruins

Tiansheng City Ruins

The Tiansheng City Ruins are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Tiansheng City is one of the ancient Eight Scenic Spots of Wanzhou, known as "Tiansheng City Leaning Against the Sky." It is located one kilometer northwest of Wanzhou District, Chongqing, at an altitude of 467 meters, covering a total area of 400 acres. The mountain stretches from north to south, being narrower in the north and wider in the south, approximately 1.5 kilometers long from north to south and about 500 meters wide from east to west. It is an important scenic site within the Yangtze River Three Gorges area. Tiansheng City got its name due to its steep and majestic terrain, rising abruptly from the flat land, surrounded by cliffs on all sides with sheer rock faces towering overhead, standing solid like a wall—naturally forming a fortress-like city. Legend has it that during the Three Kingdoms period, Liu Bei, the Emperor of Shu Han, stationed his troops here while campaigning against Wu, hence it is also called Tianzi City (Emperor’s City). Its terrain is strategically perilous, easily defended but hard to attack—one man could hold the pass against ten thousand, making it a vital military stronghold since ancient times. Surrounded by cliffs on all sides, access to the fortress gate is only possible through a narrow, winding, and steep stone path.

The History of Tiansheng City

According to historical records, in the late Southern Song Dynasty, Yu Jie, the Pacification Commissioner of Sichuan, led the military and civilians of Sichuan to construct a series of mountain fortress defense systems to resist the invasion of the Mongol armies. As one of these strongholds, Tiansheng City, along with Fishing City in Hechuan, Dayue City in Cangxi, and Baidi City in Fengjie, held off the mighty Mongol forces of Möngke for thirty-six years. This not only shattered the myth of the Mongol army’s invincibility but also greatly boosted the morale of the Southern Song military and civilians. The indomitable Mongol forces referred to these strongholds as the “Eight Pillars of Sichuan.”

After the Mongol armies conquered the decaying Southern Song Dynasty, they sent the Yuan Dynasty general Yang Dayuan to lead troops into Sichuan. His nephew, Wen An, personally commanded a large army to besiege Tianzi City, attacking day and night. The defenders, under the leadership of General Shangguan Kui, refused to surrender and fought to the death. Eventually, after holding out for fifty-three days without supplies or reinforcements, the city fell to the Yuan forces. General Shangguan Kui died in close combat, living up to the famous words of the Shu military commander Yan Yan from the Three Kingdoms period: “There are no generals who surrender, only those who are beheaded.” To this day, elders in Tiansheng City still speak of that history with great vividness and detail, as if it had happened right before their eyes.

In the early Qing Dynasty, the city served as a stronghold for the peasants resisting the Qing in eastern Chuan. To this day, cliff inscriptions can still be found on the stone walls near the fortress gate, including the victory stele of Yang Wen’an from the early Yuan Dynasty, commemorating the capture of the city.

Before liberation, local bandits ran rampant, and the people suffered immensely. Due to its treacherous terrain, Tiansheng City became a gathering place for wealthy locals at the time. Bandit gangs, lusting after its riches, attacked Tiansheng City countless times but always failed, helplessly staring up at the steep cliffs. A local folk song still circulates today: “What a fine Tiansheng City, with high mountains and rugged paths. Fat pigs everywhere, yet none can be caught.”

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units