Hulishan Fortress

“Hulishan Fortress, initially constructed in the 17th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1891 AD) and completed in the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign (1896 AD), covers a total area of over 70,000 square meters, with the fortress itself spanning 22,000 square meters. It is divided into the combat flat area, barracks area, and rear mountain area. The fortress structure is semi-bastion-style and semi-city-wall-style, featuring European style and embodying the architectural charm of China’s Ming and Qing periods. Historically, it was known as the ‘Gateway to Fujian’ and the ‘Lock and Key of Southern Heaven.’

Hulishan Fortress, located at No. 2 Zengcuo’an, Siming District, Xiamen City, Fujian Province, was initially built in the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894 AD). Peng Chuhan, the newly appointed Admiral of the Fujian Navy, conceived the idea of constructing the fortress while overhauling Xiamen’s coastal defenses. After several twists and turns, construction of the Hulishan battery began in 1891 and took five years to complete,finishing in the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign (1896 AD), covering an area of 13,000 square meters.

The most famous features of Hulishan Fortress are its two Krupp cannons, which were purchased by the Qing government from Germany for 100,000 taels of silver. These cannons have a caliber of 280 millimeters and an effective range of 16,000 meters (with a maximum range of approximately 19,760 meters).

After its completion, Hulishan Fortress played a significant role in several large-scale battles. With the exception of one instance in 1937, between October of that year and May 1938, during the Battle of Xiamen in the Second Sino-Japanese War,

the Krupp cannons of Hulishan Fortress once again demonstrated their formidable role as the ‘natural lock and key.’

The Krupp cannons were developed during the late Qing Dynasty’s Self-Strengthening Movement. At the time, the movement’s proponents advocated for learning advanced Western science and technology, establishing a navy, and purchasing modern firearms to strengthen the nation and its military.

Perched against the mountain and facing the sea, Hulishan Fortress is divided from south to north into the combat flat area, barracks area, and rear mountain area. It includes two main cannons on the east and west sides, two auxiliary cannons, and supporting facilities such as operation rooms, ammunition supply rooms, hidden passages, ammunition depots, trenches, officer quarters, barracks, watchtowers, arsenals, city walls, observation posts, and gun embrasures. Hulishan Fortress is one of the better-preserved coastal fortresses and serves as an important historical site for studying China’s coastal defense military history, the Self-Strengthening Movement, and military fortification technology.