The Ancient Site of the Martyred Maiden’s Tomb in Guanghai

　　The folk of Guanghai widely recount the story of a martyred maiden who faced the swords of Japanese pirates with unyielding defiance. This maiden was the daughter of Guanghai commander Peng Jingxiang, though her name is unknown. When her father and brothers were killed in battle and the city fell to the enemy, the maiden was just 18 years old. A Japanese pirate leader led his troops in a search of homes and arrived at the Peng residence. Seeing the maiden’s youth and beauty, he was overcome with lust and attempted to assault her. The maiden sternly rebuked him and fought back fiercely. Taking him by surprise, she suddenly drew a concealed pair of scissors from her person and stabbed the pirate leader in both eyes, then killed herself. After the pirates left, the maiden’s body lay stiff for three days, her complexion unchanged as if still alive. Moved by her chastity and bravery, the local neighbors secretly transported her body out of the city and buried her at the foot of Ma’an Mountain in the western suburbs. They erected a gravestone inscribed with “Martyred Maiden’s Tomb.”

　　By the sixth year of the Xianfeng reign during the Qing Dynasty (1856 AD), Liang Qiaoshi, a filial and incorruptible scholar from Zhaoqing, visited Guanghai. Upon hearing the story of the maiden, he was deeply moved and personally paid respects at her tomb. He sighed, “Throughout history, many have fallen into the hands of bandits, yet none have displayed such chastity and courage—let alone a woman. How could her story be allowed to remain unknown?” He then ordered his subordinates to renovate the tomb and petitioned the imperial court to posthumously honor the maiden with the title “Madam Peng.” Since then, local officials and residents have repaired the Martyred Maiden’s Tomb on multiple occasions. Especially in 1938, the year after Japan launched the Marco Polo Bridge Incident and began its full-scale invasion of China, in order to promote patriotism and inspire the local people to resist the Japanese and save the nation, Magistrate Qin Yuanchao of Taishan County initiated a campaign to restore the Martyred Maiden’s Tomb. On the day the new tomb was completed, thousands of soldiers and civilians from Taishan and nearby counties gathered before the tomb to pay tribute to the loyal spirit, vowing with a thunderous roar to resist the Japanese to the death. After the liberation, the Taishan People’s Government rebuilt the Martyred Maiden’s Tomb complex in 1997.

　　In addition, the scenic and historic sites of Guanghai City include the stone cave where the Yu family took refuge from pirates and the stone inscription “Yu Family Stone Chamber”; the “Imperial Plaque” commemorating the anti-pirate hero Zhang Gongsheng; the majestic ruins of the ancient Guanghai city wall; the naturally exquisite wonder known as the “Bride’s Chamber”; the picturesque landscapes of Shikou Cave and the Shikou Poetry Grove; and the mysterious Tomb of Li Zhanzhi… Meanwhile, the local folklore and legends are as numerous as the stars, reflecting a profound cultural heritage.