The countdown has begun for the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee. Among the diverse list of candidates, Hailongtun, one of China’s nominated Tusi sites, has become a hot topic in media discussions and a trending search online. If successfully approved by the World Heritage Committee, Hailongtun will become Guizhou Province’s first World Cultural Heritage site.
The 39th session of the World Heritage Committee will be held from June 28 to July 8 in Bonn, Germany. In April 2013, Hailongtun was officially included in China’s joint nomination for World Heritage status along with the Laosi City Site in Hunan and the Tangya Tusi City Site in Hubei. However, compared to the others, Hailongtun is the site that most fully embodies Tusi culture. It is a typical site of the ancient Bozhou Tusi culture, not only featuring an ancient military fortress of significant archaeological value but also being home to the Gelao people, one of the oldest ethnic minorities in southwestern China. Hailongtun holds a prominent position and great significance in the medieval cultural, military, and ethnic development history of China and even the world.
For centuries, Hailongtun was shrouded in layers of mystery, standing majestically yet silently amid the rugged southwestern mountains. Now, this mysterious site is gradually unfolding like a historical scroll before the world: nestled against mountains and rivers, carrying the soul of nature and history, it has journeyed through time like a grand and majestic epic poem, waiting for us to explore, discover, and contemplate...
Unveiling the Ancient Fortress
The Hailongtun Tusi Site is located in Hailongtun Village, Gaoping Town, Huichuan District, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, about 16 kilometers south of downtown Zunyi. It was built atop Longyan Mountain, the eastern branch of the Dalou Mountains. The moment you step into Hailongtun, you are greeted by the awe-inspiring grandeur of “a landscape painted by nature, with countless heroes in its prime.” Perched atop the steep karst terrain, Hailongtun rises like a solitary peak into the clouds, surrounded on three sides by cliffs and overlooking a deep valley. Its fortified structure makes it a natural military stronghold. The site features numerous ancient fortresses and watchtowers scattered across the landscape. Standing here, one can’t help but wonder: how many legendary battles and captivating tales have unfolded within this mysterious site that has weathered centuries of history?
It is certain that Hailongtun is a thickly layered storybook—and its pages continue to grow.
Hailongtun was initially built over 700 years ago (in 1257). During the late Southern Song Dynasty, as Mongol troops advanced eastward from Yunnan toward Bozhou, Yang Wen, the local chieftain at the time, led civilians to clear paths through the forests and construct fortifications, passes, and buildings on Longyan Mountain to store food and military supplies. By the 24th year of the Wanli era (1596), Yang Yinglong, the then Tusi of Bozhou, openly rebelled against the Ming Dynasty. While resisting Ming forces, he mobilized laborers to extensively expand Hailongtun. In addition to reinforcing existing castles and palaces, he constructed nine successive fort gates as defensive lines against the Ming army. Each gate was built with massive stones atop cliff edges, accompanied by supporting structures such as walls, watchtowers, trenches, and arrow towers. After these renovations, Hailongtun became a fully equipped and well-provisioned military fortress.
However, although Yang Yinglong believed Hailongtun to be impregnable, it could not withstand the overwhelming and relentless attacks of the Ming army. In the 28th year of the Wanli era (1600), Hailongtun fell to the Ming forces. Unable to reverse the situation, Yang Yinglong set fire to the palaces before hanging himself in a room with his two concubines. Thus, the Bozhou Campaign—one of the “Three Major Battles of the Wanli Era”—ended in a major victory for the Ming Dynasty. Hailongtun, which Yang Yinglong had painstakingly developed for years, was captured in the flames of war. Only ruins and scattered rocks remained, some buried beneath sand and thorny bushes, others standing atop verdant mountains. Like a dragon frozen in time, it fell into a century-long slumber.
The extant remains of Hailongtun mainly date back to the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (approximately 1595–1600). These include five types of relics: city defense facilities, administrative and living facilities, handicraft facilities, transportation facilities, and well remnants. The architectural design, craftsmanship, and comprehensive facilities of this ancient fortress are astonishing even by modern standards. Within a two-square-kilometer area, from the multi-layered defensive system to the grand “New Palace,” every structure reflects both wartime needs and the wealth and power of the Yang family. The magnificent architecture of Hailongtun blends uniquely with the natural terrain of Longyan Mountain. Even today, with only ruins remaining, the steep and solemn aura of the ancient city gate and the Thirty-Six Steps still inspires awe.
Discovering Cultural Treasures
In addition to being a formidable military stronghold, Hailongtun holds significant value in its rich folk heritage and the long-standing Bozhou Tusi culture. These cultural elements complement and enhance one another. For Hailongtun, the most representative aspect is the deeply engraved Tusi culture found within its massive stone walls.
China’s Tusi system was established during the Yuan Dynasty (13th century) as a governance model developed and refined through the nation’s unification process, rooted in profound historical origins. The term “Tusi” officially appeared during the Ming Dynasty when the system was at its peak. As an institutional civilization, it significantly contributed to the formation of China’s unified yet diverse state structure. Well-preserved Tusi cultural sites like Hailongtun are of immense importance to historical research in China and globally. Archaeological excavations at Hailongtun, in particular, offer a chance to uncover unembellished truths of history.
From the wall construction, fortress gates, and palace architecture of Hailongtun, one can see traces of fusion between ancient Chinese imperial styles, Jiangnan pavilions, and the architectural traditions of northern Guizhou. These findings indicate that although Bozhou was geographically isolated, its Tusi leaders were open-minded, receptive to new ideas, and adept at blending them with local traditions. The primary building materials used were local bluestone and timber, sourced nearby, while decorations often reflected the ethnic styles of the Gelao and Miao peoples—for example, the diamond-patterned lattice windows of Feilong Pass. In structures symbolizing Tusi authority, influences from central official culture are also visible, such as lotus patterns and roof ridge ornaments on tiles—common decorative motifs in Central Plains regions—all of which remain visible in the ruins of Hailongtun. These elements coexist harmoniously with the imposing military fortress.
Undoubtedly, Hailongtun is a place that sparks the imagination and awaits discovery by those who seek to explore and touch its mysteries. If its World Heritage nomination succeeds, it will undoubtedly boost national pride and confidence, expand its international influence, and establish it as a global cultural tourism brand. Another important significance lies in how the inclusion of such invaluable cultural heritage under international protection encourages heritage authorities and local communities to preserve, manage, inherit, and utilize it according to higher, more professional, and mature standards—ensuring its place as an integral part of the world’s heritage. Regardless of where it stands in the world, World Cultural Heritage represents the accumulated wisdom of humanity. We also hope that Hailongtun, this 700-year-old ancient Chinese military fortress with a storied past, will become yet another solid and remarkable treasure in the tapestry of global cultural heritage.