Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass and Ancient Road

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass and Ancient Road

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass and Ancient Road is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The name "Meiling" is said to derive from the surname of Mei Juan, the leader of the southern migrating Yue people. During the Warring States period, when the Central Plains were ravaged by war, large numbers of Yue people migrated to the Lingnan region. One group, led by Mei Juan, crossed mountains and ridges to reach the Dayuling range. Captivated by the scenery of Lingnan, they decided to settle in the Meiling area. They carried forward the brave, tenacious, hardworking, and resilient traditions of the Yue people, pioneering diligently and rapidly prospering the region. Because Mei Juan was the leader of these pioneers and was later granted the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households by King Xiang for his role in defeating the Qin, people began to call this area Meiling. Meiling played an important role in the economic and cultural development of Lingnan. After being developed by the Yue people, Meiling became a foothold for the migration of Han people from the Central Plains. Central Plains culture gradually took root and flourished in Meiling, then spread to Lingnan. Meiling was both an ancient battlefield and a site of revolutionary warfare where the Red Army fought multiple battles, especially during the three-year guerrilla war led by Comrade Chen Yi, who wrote the lofty and inspiring "Three Poems of Meiling" in a moment of crisis, further enhancing Meiling’s fame. Another theory about the origin of the name is that the area had many plum trees, hence called Meiling. Plum blossoms in Meiling are found on both the southern and northern sides of the ridge. In winter, they bloom vibrantly across the mountains, creating a world of plum blossoms. "Cold Plums of Dayuling" is one of China’s four famous historical plum blossom viewing spots. The plum blossoms in Meiling have two distinctive features: first, according to the Nanxiong Prefecture Records, "The plums of Dayuling are slightly different from those of the Jiangnan region; their petals resemble peach blossoms but with red edges, and some are entirely red. The ridge has been repeatedly planted, and white blossoms are more common." Second, due to the distinct climate differences between the north and south of Lingnan, the phenomenon of southern branches blooming first and northern branches later, creating a clear boundary, occurs. The famous Northern Song Dynasty literary figure Su Shi visited Meiling to admire the plum blossoms and composed a poem: "When plum blossoms fade, other flowers bloom; travelers pass by, but you do not come. Without tasting the cold plums of Dayuling with green plums or boiling wine, one must see the red rain of ripe yellow plums." He vividly depicted everything from the plum blossoms on the ridge to the travelers on the ancient road, from the blooming to the falling of the blossoms, and to the ripening of the plums.

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

Meiguan Pass is flanked by two peaks, standing guard over Meiling like a city gate separating Guangdong and Jiangxi. The Nanxiong Meiguan has always been a vital north-south transportation route and a strategic military location throughout history. Historical records describe Nanxiong as "situated at the head of the Five Ridges, at the junction of Jiang (Jiangxi) and Guang (Guangdong)," and "the throat of the north and south, the shield of the capital." The name of Nanxiong County is also related to Meiguan, as Nanxiong means "Southern Yue Strong Pass," with the strong pass referring to Meiguan. The existing gate tower was built during the Jiayou era of the Song Dynasty, constructed with brick and stone, and is simple yet majestic. During the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, Jiang Jie, the prefect of Nanxiong, erected a plaque on the gate tower. The northern gate bears the inscription "Southern Yue Strong Pass," while the southern gate is inscribed with "First Pass of Lingnan." On the north side of the gate, there is a 2.4-meter-high and 1.4-meter-wide stone stele engraved with two bold regular script characters "Meiling," each character about 6 square feet in size. This stele was erected by Zhang Fengxiang, the prefect of Nanxiong during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty. A couplet on both sides of the gate tower reads: "Plums quench the thirst of travelers; the pass guards against violent intruders."

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

The establishment of a pass at Meiling began in the Qin Dynasty. After unifying China, Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s strategy was to build the Great Wall in the north to defend against the Xiongnu, while opening mountain passes in the south to actively develop Lingnan. In 213 BC, the Qin Dynasty constructed three passes through the Five Ridges: Hengpu Pass, Yangshan Pass, and Huangji Valley Pass, opening up three key routes connecting the north and south. Hengpu Pass was built atop Meiling, so Meiguan was called Hengpu Pass or Qin Pass during the Qin era. Later, Hengpu Pass was destroyed in war. From the Han to the Tang Dynasties, Meiling was only referred to as a ridge, without a pass name. After the gate tower was built during the Jiayou era of the Song Dynasty, successive prefectures and counties of Nanxiong maintained the gate tower, preserving Meiling Pass to this day.

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

The Meiling Ancient Road winds down from Meiling to both the north and south, connecting to the Zhangshui River in Jiangxi to the north and the Zhen River in Guangdong to the south. Like a ribbon, it links the Yangtze and Pearl Rivers. The Meiling Ancient Road is the best-preserved ancient post road in China. The road is about six feet wide, paved neatly with cobblestones, flanked by lush shrubs, with verdant trees and overlapping mountain ridges on both sides. At the foot of the ridge, one can see ancient horse-watering troughs. A Halfway Pavilion, also known as the Coming Geese Pavilion, has been built along the ancient road. In the past, there were 136 stone poetry steles along the route, recording the famous quotes and verses of ancient scholars and dignitaries, though few remain today.

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

The Meiling Ancient Road was first opened during the Qin and Han Dynasties. In the fourth year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty (716 AD), Zhang Jiuling passed through Meiling and, seeing the treacherous and impassable mountain paths, advised Emperor Xuanzong of Tang to excavate Meiling. Due to the need for economic development, the Tang emperor ordered Prime Minister Zhang Jiuling to oversee the expansion of the Meiling Ancient Road. This massive project, after arduous efforts, finally opened the Dayuling Ancient Road. At the new entrance of Dayuling on the ancient road, at the foot of Nanshan Mountain, there is a Temple of the Sixth Patriarch and a "Madam Temple" on the ancient road. These were built by later generations to commemorate Zhang Jiuling’s achievements in "benefiting the region during his tenure" and to honor Madam Qi Yifen, Zhang’s wife, for supporting her husband’s endeavors. There is also a touching story behind it.

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

After the road was opened, north-south transportation improved significantly, and the Meiling Ancient Road became a major thoroughfare connecting the north and south. It brought prosperity to the once hundred-mile stretch of Meiling. According to historical records, the Meiling Ancient Road was "lined with long and short pavilions for rest, stops every five to ten li, bustling markets with goods flowing like ants and fish, and shoulder-to-shoulder travelers carrying loads."

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

The importance of the Meiling Ancient Road led successive dynasties to value and continually maintain it. One of the larger projects was in the 11th year of the Zhengtong era of the Ming Dynasty (1446 AD), when Zheng Shu, the prefect of Nanxiong, paved the ancient road with stone and replanted pines and plums along the roadside. With the opening of the Canton–Hankow Railway and the Xiongyu Highway, the Meiling Ancient Road completed its historical mission as the main north-south transportation route.

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

Meiling: The Southern Yue Pass

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units