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Weiguan Stone Watchtower

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A 20-kilometer drive uphill from Xuecheng brings you to a hill on the opposite side of the road where a towering stone watchtower pierces the sky — this is the Weiguan Stone Watchtower. In ancient times, this was a vital mountain passageway, and the area’s treacherous terrain, with cliffs thousands of feet high plummeting straight down to the riverbed, formed a strategic chokepoint that was truly “a stronghold where one man could hold off ten thousand.” Since ancient times, there has been a saying: “Deep in the mountains lies Weiguan, enduring through a thousand years of wind and snow” — this is the origin of the name “Weiguan.” The stone watchtower has over ten stories and stands dozens of meters tall, enabling surveillance of enemies from afar; it also served as a formidable defensive structure, impervious to the swords and spears of the time. Another important function was communication. When an enemy was spotted here, smoke signals were sent up from the top of the tower, and nearby watchtowers would relay the signal in succession until it reached the command post.

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A 20-kilometer drive uphill from Xuecheng brings you to a hill on the opposite side of the road where a towering stone watchtower pierces the sky — this is the Weiguan Stone Watchtower. In ancient times, this was a vital mountain passageway, and the area’s treacherous terrain, with cliffs thousands of feet high plummeting straight down to the riverbed, formed a strategic chokepoint that was truly “a stronghold where one man could hold off ten thousand.” Since ancient times, there has been a saying: “Deep in the mountains lies Weiguan, enduring through a thousand years of wind and snow,” which explains the origin of the place name “Weiguan.” The stone watchtower has over ten stories and stands dozens of meters tall, allowing for long-range observation of approaching enemies; it also functioned as a defensive fortification, against which the swords and spears of the era were useless. Another key role was for relaying messages. If enemies were detected here, smoke would be lit atop the tower, and neighboring watchtowers would follow suit in sequence until the message reached the command center.