Min County Erlang Mountain

　　Erlang Mountain is situated to the south of Min County. Originally called Golden Boy Mountain, it is the beginning of the thousand-mile Min Mountain range. The renowned Battle of Erlang Mountain occurred here, and it is also the homeland of the Erlang Mountain "Hua'er" folk songs, the western starting point of the Qin Great Wall, and a well-known provincial-level forest park.

　　According to the Records of Minzhou: Erlang Mountain is described as “distant and nearby mountains carved like jade, with clouds gathered halfway up the slopes, leading westward to Taizhou along the long road, while pine and cypress forests fill the serene valleys.” This praises the scenery of Erlang Mountain. It faces the Jade Maiden Peak of Min Mountain across the Tao River. Along its ridgeline, three peaks rise and connect in sequence. Since fortresses were once built atop these peaks, they are respectively called First, Second, and Third Forts, with the highest Third Fort rising about 200 meters above the ground. Erlang Mountain is easily defensible and hard to attack, serving as a natural barrier for Min County and holding significant military importance. Min County was the stronghold of Lu Dachang, commander of the newly formed 14th Army Division. In September 1936, the Red Army’s Second and Fourth Front Armies, carrying out the "Minzhou (Min County), Taizhou (Taizhou), Xigu Campaign Plan" formulated by the Northwest Bureau of the Central Committee, launched an offensive on Min County. In response, Lu Dachang built bunkers, dug trenches, and constructed defensive works on Erlang Mountain, attempting to block the Red Army’s advance. The brave Red Army soldiers fought fiercely against the enemy for five days and nights, inflicting heavy blows. However, the Red Army also suffered significant casualties, and the bodies of the fallen soldiers were buried on Erlang Mountain. After the Red Army moved north, the warlord Lu Dachang colluded with local despots and carried out class reprisals against the laboring masses under the guise of “pacification” and “post-war management.” Many Soviet officials and wounded Red Army soldiers were brutally killed. Zhang Youcai, chairman of the Xichuan District Soviet, remained steadfast under torture and, before his execution, sang the Minzhou “Hua’er” song: “Birch split into millstones tall, I serve as chairman for the Red Army’s call. I’ll risk my head, held high in hand, What will you do to me, my man?” His bold words shook heaven and earth. The people of Min County, deeply influenced by the Long March of the Red Army, produced many moving stories of risking their lives to protect wounded Red Army soldiers. According to the Min County Annals, “Min County has many heroes,” providing valuable material for patriotic and national defense education in the county. Over sixty years later, the remnants of the trenches—Lu Dachang’s defensive works that obstructed the Red Army’s northward advance—remain well-preserved. As a vivid lesson, they constantly remind future generations and recount the heroic tales of the Red Army. In 1982, at the foot of Erlang Mountain, the Min County Party Committee and County Government built the “Erlang Mountain Martyrs’ Cemetery,” enriching the content of patriotic and national defense education. Through the joint efforts of the entire county, this year, Min County completed the construction of the “Long March Memorial Pavilion” on Erlang Mountain.

　　The Erlang Mountain Hua’er Festival has a long history. On the 17th day of the fifth lunar month each year, singers from surrounding villages and tourists from nearby prefectures and counties gather at Erlang Mountain and in downtown Min County, engaging in large-scale trade activities alongside the festivities, creating an exceptionally lively scene. The folk songs performed at the Erlang Mountain “Hua’er Festival” mainly feature the Southern Route of the Tao-Min Hua’er, along with the Northern Route of the Tao-Min Hua’er and the Hezhou Hua’er. The Erlang Mountain Hua’er Festival is a typical representation of Gansu’s folk singing traditions and a shining jewel of the folk culture of Longzhong. As a cultural heritage of humanity, it holds great value for preservation, research, and development. Gansu Province has submitted the Erlang Mountain Hua’er Festival in Min County—a national-level intangible cultural heritage—to the Ministry of Culture for consideration as a candidate for UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

　　Remains of the Qin Great Wall have been discovered on Erlang Mountain. In the 33rd year of Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s reign (214 BC), he dispatched General Meng Tian with 300,000 troops to build the Great Wall, stretching west from Lintao to Liaodong, covering over ten thousand li. Some confuse the ancient Lintao with today’s Lintao, but historical evidence is insufficient. While a section of the Qin Great Wall does exist in present-day Lintao, it was built during the reign of King Zhao of Qin. The wall constructed by Qin Shi Huang, due to the vast expansion of territory, had its starting point extended to present-day Min County. According to the Yuanfeng Jiuyu Zhi (Geographical Records of the Yuanfeng Era): “Xizhou (present-day Lintao) has no ancient relics; the Qin Great Wall lies within the boundaries of Minzhou.” Various historical texts, including the Yuanhe Junxian Zhi (Records of Prefectures and Counties from the Yuanhe Era) of the Tang Dynasty, the Taiping Huanyu Ji (Comprehensive Gazetteer of the Taiping Era) of the Song Dynasty, the Du Shi Fang Yu Ji Yao (Essentials of Historical Geography) of the Ming Dynasty, and Wang Guoliang’s modern work The Examination of Ancient Great Walls of China, all concur that “the starting point of the Qin Great Wall is in Min County.” The discovery of the Qin Great Wall ruins on Erlang Mountain provides further compelling evidence.

　　Multiple ancient tombs have also been found on Erlang Mountain. In addition to tombs from the Song and Ming dynasties, there is a cluster of Han Dynasty tombs on the northwest slope, along with the excavation of giant Qin tiles exceeding half a meter in length. The wealth of cultural relics and historic sites fully reflects Erlang Mountain’s long history and rich cultural heritage.

　　The ridgeline and eastern and western slopes of Erlang Mountain are covered in greenery, with a forest coverage rate of over 90%. Tree species include spruce, larch, poplar, apricot, willow, plum, and mountain pear. In 1993, the provincial forestry department approved the establishment of the Erlang Mountain Provincial Forest Park, which consists of three parts: Erlang Mountain itself, the Nanchuan Nursery, and the North Suburb Youth Forest, covering a total area of 3,081 mu. The Nanchuan Nursery Scenic Area is located 5 kilometers south of the county town, adjacent to National Highway G212. Established in 1940, it covers a total area of 160 mu, including 65 mu of nursery land and 95 mu of protective forest belts. The area features lush trees, beautiful flowers, and murmuring streams flowing through the woods, offering a tranquil and comfortable environment. The North Suburb Youth Forest is situated to the north of the county town, beside Provincial Highway S306. It lies against the Jade Maiden Peak of Min Mountain to the north and borders the Tao River to the south. A small stream meanders through the forest, which is surrounded by water on all sides. With dense vegetation, thriving trees, and beautiful scenery, it is a serene and delightful destination.