Zhuma Fort

Zhuma Fort

Zhuma Fort

Zhuma Fort is located in the northwest of Xingrong District, Datong City, Shanxi Province. It was a military garrison fort along the Shanxi section of the Ming Great Wall, collectively known as one of the "Four Forts Beyond the Frontier" along with Zhenqiang Fort, Juqiang Fort, and Jumen Fort. The *Illustrated Gazetteer of the Three Towns of Xuanda and Shanxi* contains the following record about Zhuma Fort: “This fort was established in the 24th year of the Jiajing reign (1545 AD), and in the first year of the Wanli reign (1573 AD) it was bricked. It has a perimeter of two li and four fen, is thirty-eight chi high. Originally, one defender officer was stationed here, along with the brigade general of this route. Excluding reinforcements, the defending force consisted of 634 banner soldiers and 30 horses. The border section guarded was twenty li and three fen long, with 25 border watchtowers and 8 fire beacon towers, as well as one market. Among them, watchtowers such as Xiaohuaoyuan were all in highly vulnerable positions. Outside the border, areas like Liangcheng’er were where tribal leaders such as Huangjin Bangshi and Baihu Qia led their tribes to graze. This fort was situated at the extreme frontier, close to the nomadic encampments. To the east, it connected with Jumen Fort and others, and to the west with Bao’an, forming what is known as the Outer Five Forts. Eastward, the terrain is flat and open, making it easy for enemies to advance swiftly. To the west of Matou Mountain, the border lies within the mountains, with no natural defenses to rely on, making it more critical than other forts. In previous years, enemy invasions were frequent, but after peace agreements, the enemy became greedy for our trade goods, and hostilities ceased abruptly. However, during market days, various tribal leaders gathered in large numbers, presenting unpredictable situations, requiring careful management and defensive planning.” This passage not only provides architectural data about Zhuma Fort itself but also reveals two important pieces of information: a large military presence and bustling foreign trade.

According to *The Three Clouds Strategic Review*, Zhuma Fort was originally built from earth in the 24th year of the Jiajing reign and bricked in the first year of the Wanli reign. The fort had a perimeter of two li and four fen, was thirty-eight chi high, and housed a brigade general for defense, covering a section of the Great Wall twenty li and three fen long, with 25 border watchtowers. Today, multiple sections of the southern and eastern walls are damaged, while the northern wall remains tall, solid, and relatively well-preserved.

The number of troops stationed at Zhuma Fort as a military camp varied in different periods. *The Three Clouds Strategic Review* records the following about Zhuma Fort: “(Zhuma Fort) is more critical than other forts. In the late Jiajing reign, a brigade general was specially relocated here. After the peace agreement, it became tranquil, but during market days, tribal leaders gathered in large numbers, requiring careful management and defensive planning. Recently, due to a lack of cavalry among the reinforcement infantry, they were unreliable in emergencies, so infantry rations were cut and replaced with the purchase of trained horses. Troops from various forts were also consolidated here, gradually increasing the number of soldiers and horses at this fort to defend against sudden raids.” According to these sources, in the 26th year of the Jiajing reign (1547 AD), the Yingzhou brigade general was moved to Zhuma Fort and commanded nine surrounding forts. During that period, the garrison at Zhuma Fort reached 2,175 soldiers, with 890 horses, mules, and camels. In fact, according to the *Zuoyun County Annals*, as early as 1460 AD, the fourth year of the Tianshun reign, after Emperor Yingzong of Ming returned to the throne following the famous “Tumu Crisis,” the deputy commander of Datong was moved to Zuowei, and the brigade general was stationed at Zhuma Fort, with over 5,600 soldiers garrisoned and farming there. In the fourth year of Emperor Yingzong’s reign, the regions of Yanmen, Xinzhou, Dai, and Shuo saw frequent battles, and Emperor Yingzong himself had been captured and taken to the camp of Mongol leader Esen. He understood the strategic importance of this place and deployed a large military force at Zhuma Fort, providing strong military support for the rule of Zhu Qizhen. For over a hundred years afterward, the Ming government never reduced its military strength at Zhuma Fort, indicating its enduring strategic importance. By the Qing Dynasty, many official forts along the Datong Great Wall from previous dynasties were converted to civilian forts and no longer garrisoned troops, yet Zhuma Fort remained regarded as a military stronghold, though its importance gradually declined. In the third year of the Yongzheng reign, 525 soldiers were stationed here. By the 12th year of the Guangxu reign, only 18 active-duty soldiers remained, whose main responsibility was national postal relay duties.

After the “Peace Agreement” (i.e., the Longqing Peace Treaty), the relationship between the Ming Dynasty and the Mongol Tatar tribes shifted from enmity to amity. In the fifth year of the Longqing reign (1571 AD), the court established three official horse markets in Datong Town: Xinping Fort Horse Market, Desheng Fort Horse Market, and Shoukou Fort Horse Market. By the sixth year of the Longqing reign (1572 AD), many new horse markets were opened in Datong Town, including Zhuma Fort Horse Market, Ninglu Fort Horse Market, Miehu Fort Horse Market, Yunshi Fort Horse Market, Ying’en Fort Horse Market, and Shahu Fort Horse Market, making the Datong Great Wall the area with the most horse markets in the “Central Three Borders.” The prosperity of these horse markets was world-renowned, with a popular saying at the time: “Golden Desheng, Silver Zhuma,” as substantial tax revenues continuously flowed into the treasury of the Ming government. —— Ever since the defense of Zhuma Fort was officially incorporated into the 72 castles of the Datong Town of the Ming Dynasty, the vast military forces stationed along the Great Wall were committed to ensuring the smooth progress of international trade in the region and the development of the national economy. Peace and trade had always been the ultimate goals of the Great Wall.

In modern times, Zhuma Fort once again became embroiled in war. The duty of soldiers is to fight. From the early Ming Dynasty to the early years of the People’s Republic, around 500 years, Zhuma Fort continuously hosted a large military presence, giving the region’s history a tragic hue of alternating bloodshed and fire. Let us examine some historical records:

In the 17th year of the Hongzhi reign (1504 AD), Mongol leader Huosai invaded Datong. Zuo Wei’s regional commander Zhang An led his troops to defeat Huosai at Zhuma Pass, in what is historically known as the “Great Victory at Zhuma Pass.”

In November of the 27th year of the Jiajing reign (1548 AD), Mongol leader Altan ambushed and attacked five forts in Zuo Wei, including Zhuma Fort. Zuo Wei commander Gu Xiang led troops out to engage the enemy but was besieged. Datong’s regional commander Zhou Shangwen rushed to reinforce them, leading to fierce combat. Several senior Ming commanders were killed, and after more than a month of stalemate, Altan withdrew.

In December of the fifth year of the Shunzhi reign (1648 AD), Datong’s regional commander Jiang Xiang (originally written with a “wang” radical, pronounced “Xiang”) rose up against the Qing. Zhuma’s brigade general Li Xiangyao responded in support. On the dawn of the third day of the third month in the following year, the Qing army besieged Zhuma Fort. The battle was intense, and Ao Bai led reinforcements. Li Xiangyao was killed in battle, and his entire family perished. The next day at noon, the fort fell, and the Qing army slaughtered over a hundred military households at Zhuma.

In December of the 26th year of the Republic of China (1937 AD), Yang Chengzhang, the commissioner of the Second Prefecture of Shanxi under Yan Xishan’s rule, appointed Chang Siwen to form the “Zuoyun County Government” in the lunar December, which was stationed here, making Zhuma Fort an anti-Japanese base. In July 1, 1938, the Zuoyun County Government was renamed the Zuoyun County Office, existing in the region for over two years before being eliminated by the Eighth Route Army’s Sixth Regiment in November 1939.

In the spring of the 28th year of the Republic of China (1939 AD), Japanese and puppet troops from Datong, Fengzhen, and Zuoyun concentrated over 600 forces to suppress the “Dafengzuo” anti-Japanese base. They launched a night raid on the anti-Japanese government headquarters at Zhuma Fort. Upon entering Zhuma Fort, the Japanese and puppet troops broke into houses, killed people, and looted belongings, perpetrating a bloody massacre.

In October of the 28th year of the Republic of China (1939 AD), the Japanese and puppet “Shengjinzi” forces again carried out a bloody massacre at Zhuma Fort, killing 32 innocent civilians.

Address: Northwest of Xingrong District, Datong City, Shanxi Province