Military Defense Ruins of Thirty-Nine Forts Including Yonghe Fort

Military Defense Ruins of Thirty-Nine Forts Including Yonghe Fort

The Military Defense Ruins of Thirty-Nine Forts Including Yonghe Fort is a protected cultural heritage site of Shanxi Province.

Military Defense Ruins of Thirty-Nine Forts Including Yonghe Fort

Military Defense Ruins of Thirty-Nine Forts Including Yonghe Fort (Fourth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites)

Era: Han, Sui, Tang, Song, Ming

Location: Below Yanmen Pass, Gouzhu Mountain, Dai County

One of the historically significant military facilities, serving as the second line of defense along the border. Initially built in the Han Dynasty, it flourished during the Song and Ming Dynasties but declined in the Yuan and Qing Dynasties. Stretching approximately 40 kilometers from east to west, it runs almost parallel to the Great Wall at Yanmen Pass. Most of the forts are situated in densely populated villages on the north bank of the Hutuo River. Among the thirty-nine forts, the twelve larger ones (commonly known as the Twelve Linked Cities) are: Yangming Fort, Mazhan, Qilipu, Dongguan, Xiguan, Beiguan, Pingcheng, Shilipu, Erlipu, Mofang Fort, Duan Village Fort, and Yonghe Fort.

The scale of the fort walls varies depending on the size of the village and population—some are 300 to 400 meters long from east to west and 100 to 120 meters wide from north to south, while others are 500 to 600 meters long from east to west and 100 to 200 meters wide from north to south. Yonghe Fort, Qingtai Fort, Qingchun Fort, Qingping Fort, and Qingning Fort are relatively well-preserved.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites in Shanxi Province