Dabu Stone Fortress

Dabu Stone Fortress

Located on the mountains at the southern end of the Dabu Bridge on the Qinglian Expressway in Dabu Town, Yangshan County, Qingyuan City, it stretches from east to west, dominating the mountaintop. Most of the crenellations and parapets of the fortress remain intact. The wall is meticulously built with flaky stones, standing about 2 meters high and 1.5 meters wide, extending continuously for several kilometers. At the mountaintop on the westernmost side, a towering stone gate structure about 6 meters high and 5 meters wide stands solemnly with an imposing presence. A guard tower with largely preserved structure features a stone plaque embedded above its lintel. The stone surface is inscribed with the inscription “泰阶星平” (meaning “The Stars of Peace Align”), with the right side of the plaque noting it was erected in the 3rd year of the Xuantong era, and the left side crediting He Wei, a local scholar, as the dedicating author. Within a well-preserved section of the wall, a sturdy square watchtower is connected. Its top and base feature massive stones with artificially carved holes every 20 centimeters, aligned vertically, likely indicating the former placement of a robust fortress gate, with visible chisel marks around the gate area. Small holes are spaced every few meters along the wall—clearly designed for observation and shooting, making its defensive function evident. Looking out from afar, the Dabu Stone Fortress resembles a giant dragon coiled along the mountaintop. Such a large-scale stone defensive wall is rare in southern China, and its historical and cultural value is undeniable, worthy of further excavation and research.

Dabu Town: A township under the jurisdiction of Yangshan County. During the Republican era, it was called Dabu District. In 1952, it was established as the Sixth District, renamed Dabu District in 1955, became part of Qigong Commune in the Liuyang Autonomous County in 1958, split off to form Dabu Commune in 1959, returned to Yangshan County in 1961, reverted to Dabu District in 1983, and became a township in 1987. It is located in the southern part of the county, 21 kilometers from the county seat. Covering an area of 84 square kilometers with a population of 19,000, it is traversed by Provincial Highway 1856 and the Gong River, which connects to the Lianjiang River at Shuikou. The township administers seven village committees (management areas): Dabu, Hankeng, Shixi, Huangcun, Dongjiang, Shanping, and Dalu... More detailed information on Dabu Town ++