The Golden Wall at the Foot of Mingdeng Mountain

The Golden Wall at the Foot of Mingdeng Mountain

The Golden Wall at the Foot of Mingdeng Mountain is located about 7 kilometers southeast of the county town. On the northern slope of the mountain lies a section of ancient wall, which, according to research, was built by Emperor Shizong of the Jin Dynasty as a defensive measure against the rising threat of the Mongols from the north, following the “Tianhui Peace Talks” between the Jin and Xia dynasties. Within Guyang County, the Golden Wall stretches 60 kilometers, extending from Darhan through Wuchuan’s Erfenzizi Township to ChunKun Mountain and Mingdeng Mountain in our county. The best-preserved section is the one on Mingdeng Mountain, which is about 10 kilometers long. There is a temple on Mingdeng Mountain. Legend has it that General Yang Liulang fought against the Jin troops here, repelled them, but his army was exhausted and desperate for water. Yang’s warhorse pawed at the ground with its hind hooves, digging out a pool of water that saved the day. To commemorate Yang Liulang, later generations built this temple on the mountain. Not far from Mingdeng Mountain lies a small village called Geshagou. According to experts, the village contains ruins of a Yuan Dynasty ancient city, measuring 150 meters in both length and width. Artifacts such as a small green-glazed incense burner with double handles and coarse brown-glazed porcelain cups have been unearthed there.