Ruins of the Red Flag Army’s Triangle Village Base

Ruins of the Red Flag Army’s Triangle Village Base

The Ruins of the Red Flag Army’s Triangle Village Base is a cultural tourism attraction.

Ruins of the Red Flag Army’s Triangle Village Base

Triangle Village is situated on the mountainside of Chaoyang Mountain in Yangliu Village, Dewang Township, Jiangkou County, about 6 kilometers from the Dewang Township government and approximately 60 kilometers from the county seat. It faces Shunxi River in the front and backs onto Chaoyang Mountain, connecting to the virgin forests of Fanjingshan.

In the late Qing Dynasty, continuous warfare, frequent natural disasters, and unbearable taxes and corvée led to immense suffering among the people, sparking uprisings across the region. The Red Flag Army uprising was one of them. In 1855 (the fifth year of the Xianfeng reign), Jiangkou scholar Xu Tingjie, Mei Jiding, tribute student Xia Chang, farmers Wu Laogou, Chen Fulin, Xu Xing, and others gathered thousands of people from various ethnic groups in the Upper Five Caves (Tongren) area. They rallied under the symbol of red headscarves and launched an uprising in Tongren on November 7, 1855 (the second day of the tenth month in the fifth year of Xianfeng), known as the Red Flag Army.

The movement resonated strongly with the populace, leading to sweeping victories. Between November and February of the following year, the Red Flag Army successively captured Tongren Prefecture, Songtao, Sinan, Yinjiang, Shiqian, Yuping, Cengong, Qingxi, Sansui, Xiushan, Huang County, Fenghuang, and Huayuan, growing to over 20,000 troops. On February 28, 1856 (the 23rd day of the first month in the sixth year of Xianfeng), the Red Flag Army suffered a defeat in Tongren, with leaders Xu Tingjie, Mei Jiding, Wu Laogou, Xu Xing, and Mao Daxian killed in battle.

In February 1856 (March 1856), Red Flag Army leaders Chen Fulin, Liu Shimei, Zhao Zilong, Yan Zhanbie, Zhu Yuanbei, and Yang Zongbao led the remnants to retreat to Triangle Village at the southern foot of Fanjingshan to establish a base. The location, backed by mountains and facing water, offered strategic advantages for both offense and defense. Here, the Red Flag Army built earth-and-wood fortifications, established Front, Middle, and Rear Camps, actively stockpiled provisions, prepared weapons, posted public notices, and coordinated with the Miao insurgent forces in Songtao and the White Flag Army in Sinan for mutual support against Qing troops. Due to their growing influence, the Qing court dispatched joint forces from Sichuan, Hunan, and Guizhou provinces to suppress them. Outnumbered, the Red Flag Army lost their base on October 26, 1856, marking their defeat. The remaining forces continued resistance for over a decade before eventually joining the White Flag Army. Though short-lived, the Red Flag Army had a wide-reaching impact, shaking the Qing Dynasty’s rule and inspiring popular resistance.