Rongmei Tusi Site

　　   The Rongmei Tusi was the largest Tusi in western Hubei. The site is located in Pingshan Village, Zhangjia Village, and other areas of Rongmei Town, Hefeng County. The site complex was initially built in the late Ming Dynasty, including the Juefu (noble’s mansion), administrative offices, cave complex at Pingshan, and the tomb cluster of the Xiang family, who were officials under the Tusi. It also includes associated structures such as altars, theaters, prisons, bridges, and stonework ruins related to Tusi activities, as well as Jiufeng Bridge, Wanren Cave, Qingtian Dong, forming an extensive and grand Rongmei Tusi site complex.

　　   The current site complex includes the remains of Juefu, Sishu (government office), Xiliucheng, Wanquan Cave cave complex, Wanren Cave cave complex, Qingtian Dong cave complex, Nanshu, Zhongshu, Shuizhai, Tianquanshan Guanzhai, the “Fengtian Gaoming” stele in the official tomb garden, the Rongmei Tusi family cemetery, the Xiang family cemetery, Jiufeng Bridge, Dawuchang site, Ziyunshan sacrificial site, the “Baishun Bridge” stele, the “Baoshan Lou Ji” stele, and the Fengxiang Academy stele.

　　   Juefu Site: Located in Pingshan Village, Rongmei Town, covering an area of about 500,000 square meters, it was originally the political center of the Tian clan of the Rongmei Tusi.

　　   Sishu Site: Located in Pingshan Village, Rongmei Town, covering an area of about 15,000 square meters, it was the permanent administrative office of the Tian clan of the Rongmei Tusi.

　　   Xiliucheng Site: Located at the Longwangmiao Seed Farm in Rongmei Town, covering an area of 15,000 square meters. A section of stone wall remains, 14 meters long and 2.6 meters high, along with stone carvings and inscriptions. There is also a stone well on the hillside, with one shaft remaining, and multiple other shafts visible. One stone slab is 1.2 meters high, 0.5 meters wide, and 0.15 meters thick.

　　   Wanquan Cave Cave Complex Site: Located in Miaowan Village, Rongmei Town, this is a natural limestone cave featuring two interconnected chambers, with a total internal area of about 20,000 square meters. The right cave has a stone stele inscribed with the “Wanren Cave Ji” (Record of the Wanren Cave) written by Tusi Tian Shunian in the 37th year of the Kangxi reign (1698), documenting the construction process of the cave’s interior structures. Outside the cave, there are remnants of stone-built architecture, and artifacts found inside include iron arrowheads, lamps, scissors, and more.

　　   Qingtian Dong Cave Complex Site: Located in Miaowan Village, Taiping Township, this is a natural rocky cave featuring one main chamber and five smaller ones, with a total internal area of about 7,500 square meters. On the right side of the outer wall of the main cave is the “Qingtian Dong” stone carving and a stele written by Tusi Tian Shunian titled “Jien Yin Zhe Xu” (Record of the Victory News), documenting the construction of the cave structures during the 19th year of the Kangxi reign (1680) and the Tusi's resistance against joint attacks from Tusi of Yongshun and Sangzhi.

　　   Nanshu Site: Located in Nancun, Wuli Township. During the Yuan Dynasty’s Zhizheng era (1341–1368), the Malao Tusi built the Mawangzhai here. Later, after intermarriage between the Rongmei Tusi and the Malao Tusi, the site became the southern government seat of the Rongmei Tusi, covering an area of about 5,000 square meters. Remnants of several house foundations still exist.

　　   Zhongshu Site: Located along Dongchengqiang Road north of Rongmei Road in Rongmei Town, this was the location of the Rongmei Tusi’s government office, with the site covering an area of about 5 square kilometers. A remnant section of the southern city wall is about 200 meters long and approximately 5 meters high, constructed from neatly arranged stone blocks. The site also contains numerous scattered architectural materials such as stone bases, bricks, and tiles.

　　   Shuizhai Site: Located at Houba in Rongmei Village, Rongmei Town. This was a military checkpoint established by the Rongmei Tusi, covering an area of about 10,000 square meters. Surrounded by water channels on all sides, it formed a water fortress. A section of the moat about 80 meters long and 9 meters wide still exists. Scattered within the site are stone lions and large amounts of brick and tile debris.

　　   Tianquanshan Guanzhai Site: Located at the top of Tianquanshan in Shibao Village, Xiaping Township. It served as an important stronghold and weapons manufacturing site for the Rongmei Tusi, covering an area of about 10,000 square meters. Remnants include stone house foundations and large amounts of iron slag. Artifacts collected here include bronze bells and iron swords.

　　   “Fengtian Gaoming” Stele in the Official Tomb Garden: Located in the official tomb garden in Zhangjia Village, Rongmei Town, there are two steles. Both are made of bluestone, with chi dragons as the head and a base. The overall height is 3.1 meters, width 0.94 meters, and thickness 0.26 meters. The surroundings feature bas-relief carvings of dragons and clouds. The top features seal script reading “Fengtian Gaoming,” while the body is in regular script. The right stele was engraved in the 2nd year of the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty (1629), with 15 lines totaling 468 characters, recording the imperial decree of Emperor Chongzhen posthumously conferring the title of Xuanwu General upon Tian Chuchan. The left stele was created in the 23rd year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1684), featuring an imperial inscription by Emperor Kangxi in 14 lines with 257 characters, documenting the promotion of Rongmei Tusi Tian Shunian and praising the virtues of his ancestors.

　　   Rongmei Tusi Family Cemetery: Located in Dongyangwan, Rongmei Village, Rongmei Town. The Rongmei Tusi was first established in the Yuan Dynasty, under the jurisdiction of Sichuan. In the 5th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1372), it was changed to a changsha office, elevated to dingfu office in the 7th year (1374), and placed under Shizhou Wei in the 4th year of the Yongle reign (1406), governing five changsha offices. It continued until the 13th year of the Yongzheng reign (1735), when the system changed to “Tusi abolishment and integration into direct governance.” The Tian clan served as hereditary rulers of the Rongmei Tusi. The cemetery covers an area of about 10,000 square meters, with many earthen tomb mounds still extant, having base diameters of 5–8 meters and residual heights of 1–2 meters. Some tombs have standing steles in front. Major tombs include those of Xiang Yuchun and his wife, and Lu Wenxian and his wife.

　　   Jiufeng Bridge: Built in the 25th year of the Kangxi reign (1686) by Rongmei Tusi Tian Shunian, it was named after Tian’s alias “Jiufeng.” Located in Zhangjia Village, Rongmei Town, it spans Shen Tanxi Creek from north to south. This single-arch stone bridge is 25 meters long, 4 meters wide, with a span of 6 meters. The arch uses continuous vertical joints with a single arch and a single skewback. Two stone steles stand at the north end of the bridge, spaced 1 meter apart, both made of bluestone.

　　   Dawuchang Site: A stronghold of the Rongmei Tusi. Located north of Dawuchang in Pingshan Village, Rongmei Town, it covers an area of about 5,000 square meters. The surface contains three house foundations, 13 stone fire pits, as well as stone mills, stone bases, bricks, and tiles. Artifacts collected include bronze mirrors and fragments of celadon bowls and cups.

　　   Ziyunshan Sacrificial Site: Located atop Ziyun Mountain in Miaowan Village, Rongmei Town. This was a sacrificial site of the Rongmei Tusi, covering an area of about 700 square meters. Remnants include over 20 stone steps outside the mountain gate and foundation traces at the mountaintop. A broken stele on the surface bears the inscription “Qing Kangxi thirty-fourth year, spring, year of Yihai, rebuilt.”

　　   “Baishun Bridge” Stele: Located in Baishun Village, Yanzi Township. Engraved in the 29th year of the Kangxi reign (1690), it is made of bluestone, with a round top and square base. It is 1.9 meters tall, 0.58 meters wide, and 0.22 meters thick. The top is inscribed with the seal script “Baishun Bridge,” while the body is in regular script, recounting the Rongmei Tusi’s journey to the capital to pay homage to the emperor and their decision to build the Baishun Bridge due to the arduous journey. The bridge no longer exists.

　　   “Baoshan Lou Ji” Stele: Located at the southeastern end of Rongmei Road in Rongmei Town. Engraved in the 2nd year of the Yongzheng reign (1724), it is a horizontal bluestone stele, 1.23 meters wide, 0.62 meters high, and 0.31 meters thick. The text is in regular script, documenting the reconstruction of the Baoshan Tower. The tower no longer exists.

　　   Fengxiang Academy Stele: Located at the eastern end of Rongmei Road in Rongmei Town. The red sandstone stele has a damaged top, is 1.1 meters tall (remaining), 0.28 meters wide, and 0.12 meters thick. The text is in running script, documenting the construction of the Fengxiang Academy. The academy was an influential institution during the Rongmei Tusi period but no longer exists.

　　   The relics and artifacts of the Rongmei Tusi reflect various aspects of the political, economic, and cultural life under the Tusi system and the Tujia ethnic society. Additionally, the site complex preserves a large number of wall carvings and steles, providing valuable material for studying Tujia cultural traditions. The cave sites such as Wanren Cave, Wanquan Cave, and Qingtian Dong are rich in cultural content and hold significant research value in ethnology, sociology, and history.

　　   In 2006, it was announced by the State Council as part of the sixth batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.