Mayecang Scenic Area

　　The Mayecang Scenic Area is located about 75 kilometers southwest of Min County’s county seat, within Qinxi Township. The area features lush forests and grasslands, vibrant greenery, uniquely shaped peaks, fresh air, herds of cattle, sheep, donkeys, and horses, scattered Tibetan tents with cooking smoke, babbling streams, birdsong, and fragrant flowers—making it an ideal destination for summer retreats and tourism. The sky is a brilliant blue, with drifting white clouds, faint mountain ranges, and soaring eagles above the grassy plains. The land stretches endlessly, with cattle as massive as elephants and sheep resembling lying rocks. Wild chrysanthemums bloom everywhere, and with the gentle breeze, their fragrance fills the air. Occasionally, from the distant mountains, the bold and passionate “Ah’ou Ling” melodies drift through the air—fiery and intense, like wild mountain winds and blazing fires, stirring deep emotions.

　　Mayecang was named after Ma Ye, a military commander during the Ming Dynasty and the defending officer of the Minzhou Guard Command. (Ma Ye, styled Dehui, was from Liuhe in eastern Huai. In the autumn of 1378, the 11th year of the Hongwu reign in the Ming Dynasty, he was ordered to establish the Minzhou Guard. He built two fortified towns—one to the east (now the county seat) and one to the west (later known as Housuo Town); erected watchtowers and gates, constructed government offices, schools, bridges, beacon towers, barracks, postal stations, granaries, altars, and temples; planned streets, settled residents, and helped develop the town into a preliminary urban form. Ma Ye also cleared woodlands to open roads, focused on military equipment, trained soldiers, and reclaimed over 8,000 mu of farmland, yielding tens of thousands of stones of grain annually to supply the troops. In 1382, the 15th year of the Hongwu reign, when the Qiang and Rong peoples rebelled, the imperial court ordered Ma Ye to lead 20,000 infantry and cavalry from 50 guards in Xi’an to suppress the revolt in Diezhou. He captured over 5,000 rebels including their leader Shilagu’nu, and as a result, was promoted to Shaanxi.)

　　The Mayecanggou Huā'ertan Ancient Battlefield within the scenic area is located 11 kilometers west of Mayecang Village. In 1378, the 11th year of the Hongwu reign in the Ming Dynasty, Ma Ye, the commander of the Minzhou Guard, was ordered by the imperial court to lead over 10,000 cavalry and infantry troops to this location. Here, they built city walls, constructed four gates, set up camps, and defended against invasions by tribal chieftains. In less than two years, they stockpiled over 500,000 dan of grain and reclaimed over 8,000 mu of wasteland. In April 1382, the 15th year of the Hongwu reign, rebellions broke out among the tribes of Siwo, Nalin, and Taoyuan. Commander Ma Ye led 20,000 troops, captured more than 50 of the rebel leaders and their followers, and secured a victory that significantly deterred the tribes’ ambitions for further incursions. This battle brought over 500 years of peace to Huā'ertan. On April 22, 1900, the 26th year of the Guangxu reign, 44 Tibetan bandits stealthily entered Huā'ertan, shattering the tranquility with the glint of their sharp blades. In 1908, the 34th year of the Guangxu reign, the prefect Tong Ligang, along with local gentry such as Cao Xianzhong, Ma Zhongxuan, Hu Bingkui, and Jiang Zhaoxun, built a fortification at Sanchamen in Mayecang and stationed troops to protect the region. To this day, a traditional folk song called “Hua’er” is still sung:

　　A pine tree has nine roots, yet bandits have worn it down.

　　Magistrate Cao and Lord Ma have hearts as kind as Buddha, building a defensive wall at Sanchamen.

　　With the defensive wall built and troops stationed, the people of the western routes finally find peace.

　　The remnants of the Sanchamen fortification still stand today.

　　

　　The ruins of the Sanchamen fortification can still be seen.