Qishan Fort

　　Located 23 kilometers east of Li County in the Longnan region and over 70 kilometers north of Tianshui City, Qishan Fort was the military camp from which Zhuge Liang, the Prime Minister of the Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, led his army northward to attack the Cao Wei state. It is famous for Zhuge Liang’s “Six Campaigns from Qishan.”

　　　　The fort rises as an isolated peak on a broad, flat plain, situated on the northern bank of the Xihan River. It stands dozens of meters high, spans about a li in circumference, and is surrounded by steep cliffs, making it lofty and precipitous. There is only one entrance to the fort on the southwest side, through which visitors enter and then follow a winding path that twists and turns up to the mountaintop. The flat area at the top covers 3,000 square meters, with sheer cliffs below, standing solitary and precipitous. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, a Temple to Marquis Wu was built inside the fort in honor of Zhuge Liang. It has been repaired many times over the years. The existing Hall of the Temple to Marquis Wu features a three-sheep flush-gable roof structure, connected to a three-bay hanging-gable main hall in the rear. Inside stands a tall statue of Zhuge Liang, holding a feather fan and sitting upright, facing forward. On both sides of the temple are moon gates leading to the Guan Yu Temple courtyard, behind which lies the Buddha Hall courtyard. Qishan Fort has become an important site on the Three Kingdoms historical tour route.