The Golden Triangleis a land transport hub and thesouthern gatewayof Sanming City.Within the county, historical sites and scenic spots include, in ancient times, the Eight Scenic Views of Tianyang: Hundred-Rampart Towers Piercing the Clouds, Twin Cliffs Reflecting Greenery, Immortal Peaks’ Graceful Beauty, Merging Swords Creek’s Sound, Southern Pool Fishermen’s Songs, Eastern Stream Rainbow Reflections, Emerging Buddhism’s Chanting, and Ancient Fort Morning Mist. Nowadays, there are attractions such as Baiyan Park, Kongdong Mountain, Huangyan Cave, Baihe Cave, Huilin Cave, Daxian Peak, Gaofeng, Dongyan Fort, Shigu Cave, and Xiangshan. Beyond these natural landscapes, what makes Datian most captivating are its ancient fortresses—there are seven of these historic strongholds in total.
1. Fanglian Fort
Fanglian Fort is located in Xusikeng Village, Junxi Town, Datian County, approximately 8 kilometers from Datian County’s urban area. It was initially built during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty (for the structures inside the fort), took shape in the third year of the Tongzhi reign (1864), and has a history of 143 years. According to records: “The two-courtyard, hanging-roof wooden structure deep compound inside the fort was built by Zhang Yinglan of the village, comprising 76 rooms; his son Yuanmei later invested heavily to construct outer walls extending 60 meters in the east-west and north-south directions, each about 9 meters high, forming a large earthen fortress covering an area of 3,600 square meters with 160 rooms.”
2.Pipa Fort
Pipa Fort is located in Chengjiang Natural Village, Jianguo Village, Jianshe Town, Datian County. It was initially built during the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty, and covers an area of850square meters. With deep trenches on the north, east, and south sides, it is connected to the village by only a small path, making for quite a perilous terrain. Numerous small hills are scattered around the fortress, their undulating shapes resembling“a group of snakes playing with a turtle,”a sight which locals have also dubbed“Turtle Head Fort.”.
Shao Hui Fort is situated in Wanzhai Village, Guangping Town, Datian County. It was initially built in the eleventh year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1885), covering an area of2500square meters. The layout features a plan that is square in front and round at the back, following the style of a“Weilong House (enclosed dragon house).”Due to its location on a sloping mountainside, the watchtowers on both sides and the internal structures are all built in a stepped fashion along the incline, with the roof tiles overlapping layer upon layer, giving it a rather majestic presence.
4. Anliang Fort
Anliang Fort is located in Taoyuan Town, Datian County. This fortress was built in the eleventh year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1806), facing south. It is36meters wide from north to south and31meters long from east to west, covering an area of1200square meters.
Nestled on a hillside rice field surrounded by lush green mountains, Taian Fortress covers an area of1000square meters. Its name, meaning “peace and tranquility for the nation,” reflects the wish for national stability and the people’s well-being. Located in Xiaohua Village, Xiaohua Town, the fortress was first built in the Dingyi year of the Xianfeng reign during the Qing Dynasty (1857), facing northeast and covering approximately1000square meters. It is a square-shaped earthen fortress that functions primarily as a defensive structure with living quarters. The towering fortress walls and majestic corner towers give it a formidable presence. The internal buildings are constructed along the perimeter walls and span three levels. Stone staircases on either side of the main gate lead up to the second floor.
Also known as“Chiguan City”, Anzheng Fortress is located in Yangtou Village, Huainan Township, about75kilometers from the city. It was built by the local gentry Chi Zhanrui during the 11th year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty (GuangxuYear 11, or1885AD), and took fourteen years to complete. The fortress spans approximately1million square meters, with a built-up area of5800square meters, making it a rare example of large-scale residential architecture in Fujian Province.
Guangyu Fortress”, located in Wanchou Village, Guangping Town, Datian County, was first built during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. It covers an area of nearly3000square meters, with a built-up area of about4500square meters. One of the most distinctive features of Guangyu Fortress is that, architecturally, it closely resembles a classic tulou structure—“Wufenglou”—which is generally considered one of the key types of both Hakka and Southern Fujian tulou.
Each ancient fortress tells stories of history. Next time you visit Fujian, consider taking a trip to Datian.