Kongming Village

Kongming Village

Kongming Village was an important strategic pass in ancient times for traveling from Shu to Yunnan. The ancient Southern Silk Road postal route once passed through here, and today National Highway 108 runs through the village. The area north and south of Kongming Village mostly consists of canyon terrain with relatively open land, but it narrows into a tight gorge at the village, which is situated on the slopes within this canyon. Due to its treacherous terrain, described as a place where “one man could hold the pass against ten thousand,” it was historically a contested military stronghold. It is said that Zhuge Liang’s southern campaign was connected to this location. According to the Huili Prefecture Records: “Located eighty li north of the prefecture, it was a camp established by Zhuge Liang during his southern campaign, and its name remains to this day.” About ten li north of Kongming Village lies Mosuo Camp, which was once a settlement of the Mosuo people and is also believed to have been a site where Zhuge Liang set up camp. The Mosuo people, incited by Meng Huo, joined the rebellion.

The full name of Kongming Village is Group 1, Qianma Village, Baiguo Township, Huili County. It has about 20 households and a population of over 100. The village is small, with houses scattered sparsely across the slopes, and its architecture is no different from that of the surrounding Han Chinese villages.

Kongming Village is located in a gorge between Xichang and Huili County along National Highway 108. It is more than 130 kilometers from Xichang, with a fare of 23 yuan, and 50 kilometers from Huili County, with a fare of 7 yuan.