Yian Fort

　　Yian Fort is situated in Chengnei Village, Huxi She Ethnic Township, 34 kilometers from the county seat. Along with Zhao Family Fort and Xincheng (Lan Tingzhen’s Mansion), it is collectively referred to as the “Three Forts within Five Li of Huxi,” and is a nationally rare and best-preserved example of a typical Minnan-style residential fortress from the Qing Dynasty. Built in the 26th year of the Kangxi reign (1688) and donated by Huang Xingzhen—who once served as the Surveillance Commissioner of Guangxi, the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Hunan, and the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices—it was constructed for clan members to live together and defend against banditry. It has stood for over 300 years. The fort has a lock-shaped layout, with walls built from strip stones. The perimeter is 1,200 meters long, 2.2 meters wide, and 6.7 meters high, with a 3.3-meter-wide patrol path. There are 365 crenels along the wall, representing the 365 days of a year. The outer side of the wall features parapets made of lime-soil mixture. Stone steps for ascending the wall are built every 50 meters along the inner side, totaling 25 sets around the fort. Enemy towers are built at the corners of the wall, each 3 meters deep and wide. There are four gates in total, each gate opening 4 meters wide and deep. Gate towers were built at the east, west, and south gates, while smaller watchtowers were constructed at the southeast and southwest corners. The south gate, serving as the main entrance, is inscribed with “Yian” (meaning “Bestow Peace”); the east gate reads “Yingxi” (Welcome the Dawn); the west gate, “Yuxiu” (Nurture Beauty); and the north gate, “Chunting” (Spring Celebration). A moat, 10 meters wide and deep, was dug between the south and west gates (now defunct). The residences inside the fort are neatly arranged, with clearly defined lanes and an orderly, integrated layout. There are currently 95 residential houses and one ancestral hall each for the larger and smaller branches of the Huang family. Additionally, there is a three-story, five-bay residence built for the family members of Huang Xingzhen using rammed lime-soil construction; it originally had three floors and five bays but was destroyed by fire, leaving only the walls. The main ancestral hall houses three stone steles, two of which were inscribed by the early Qing calligrapher Zha Sheng. The ancestral hall also features a couplet that reads: “Ten strategies for stabilizing the realm were sincere and commendable; visits to the emperor thrice a day brought great honor”—highlighting Huang Xingzhen’s contributions in advising on state affairs. Yian Fort is a precious cultural relic in the southern Fujian region, designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, and is listed in the China Travel Attractions Dictionary.