Sichuan anti-Mongol fortresses

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A staircase towards Diaoyucheng, one of the 48 fortresses that defended Southern Song from the Mongol Empire Fishingtown.jpg
A staircase towards Diaoyucheng, one of the 48 fortresses that defended Southern Song from the Mongol Empire

The Sichuan anti-Mongol fortresses are 83 [1] mountain cities built by the soldiers and civilians of the Southern Song Dynasty during the Mongol conquest of China in Sichuan to resist the invasion of the Mongol Empire. Taking full advantage of the geographical advantages of the Sichuan Basin, [2] these fortresses formed a comprehensive three-dimensional defense system, which succeeded in resisting the Mongol attacks for up to 53 years, greatly extending the life of Southern Song. They also made Sichuan the last to be conquered by the Mongolians in 1288. [1] [3] Due to the defense of the fortresses, it was difficult to settle the Sichuan region. The Mongol Army had to abort its original strategy of "taking Shu (Sichuan) and destroying Song" and moved to the area of Jingzhou and Xiangyang starting from 1271, defeating the Song Dynasty via the Han River. [4] Möngke Khan became the only Mongol khagan to perish on the battlefield when he died during an assault on Diaoyucheng in 1259. [5] He may have been a victim of dysentery or of injuries sustained when attacking the fortress. [6]

Contents

At present, there are still 48 fortresses kept to this date from the Song Dynasty in Sichuan and Chongqing. Among them, five of them (including Diaoyucheng and Baidicheng) were recognized as Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level. Another 14 of the fortresses were selected as major historical and cultural sites protected by Sichuan Province and Chongqing. But overall, except for a select few such as Diaoyucheng, most of them have not been effectively protected or developed. [7]

History

The Sino-Mongol wars in Sichuan began in 1227, known as the 1227 incident or the Dinghai incident. The Mongolian army attacked Western Xia while sending troops into Sichuan, and captured five prefectures belonging to Lizhou Circuit near Sichuan. [8] In 1236, Kashin, the second son of Ögedei Khan, led the Mongolian army to the south of Sichuan, breaking through the Song defense line at Kaizhou, Lizhou Circuit, and entered the Sichuan Basin. Three circuits in Sichuan were almost completely occupied except Kuizhou Circuit, and the Song only kept a few states such as Luzhou, Guo prefecture, and Hezhou. [9] After this, the Mongolian army continued to invade Sichuan. In 1241, it took Chengdu again, nearing Kuizhou, and the Sichuan defense line was nearly destroyed. In 1241, Yu Jie moved the military and political center of Sichuan from Chengdu to Chongqing, which was easier to defend. After understanding that defending on flat land failed to stop the Mongol army, Yu began to build a mountain defense system and relocated the state government offices in the Sichuan province into the Daba Mountains. [4] Most of the fortresses were located near cliffs of the mountains. The top of the mountains were wide and flat, there was enough arable land and water, so they were self-sufficient and could be defended for a long time. At the same time, the mountain cities were often connected by rivers and roads at the junction of valleys or rivers. The defense of the Southern Song Dynasty used Chongqing, Jiading and Kuimen as the centers of the defense of Sichuan, which resisted the invasion of Mongolia for 53 years. Even after the Battle of Yamen in 1279, which ended the Southern Song dynasty, two of the fortresses (Santaicheng and Lingxiaocheng) had not fallen. The former lasted for an extra year until 1280, and the latter lasted until 1288, making it the last place under Song control. [10]

List

List of fortresses [3] [4]
NameYear of constructionYear of downfallOriginal Circuit Original Zhou or Fu Current locationProtection levelImageLocation
Sanguicheng (三龟城)12431275 Chengdufu Jiading Fu Shizhong District, Leshan protected by Leshan
Jiudingcheng (九顶城)12431275 Chengdufu Jiading Fu Shizhong District, Leshan protected by Leshan Artillery Battery of Jiuding Fortress.jpg
Ziyuncheng (紫云城)12431275 Chengdufu Jiading Fu Qianwei County, Leshan
Qingxicheng (清溪城) Chengdufu Jiading Fu Muchuan County, Leshan
Baiyanzhai (白岩寨) Chengdufu Jiading Fu Muchuan County, Leshan
Diaoyucheng (钓鱼城)12401279 Tongchuanfu Hezhou Hechuan District, Chongqing protected at the national level Fishingtown.jpg
Shenbicheng (神臂城)12431277 Tongchuanfu Luzhou Hejiang County, Luzhou protected at the national level
Yundingcheng (云顶城)12431266 Tongchuanfu Huai'an Jun Jintang County, Chengdu protected by Sichuan Province
Qingjucheng (青居城)12491258 Tongchuanfu Shunqing Fu Gaoping District, Nanchong protected by Nanchong
Yishengcheng (宜胜城)12721278 Tongchuanfu Hezhou Hechuan District, Chongqing
Liyicheng (礼义城)12551275 Tongchuanfu Quzhou Qu County, Dazhou protected by Sichuan Province
Daliangcheng (大良城)12431275 Tongchuanfu Guang'an Jun Qianfeng District, Guang'an
Xiaoliangcheng (小良城)12431275 Tongchuanfu Guang'an Jun Qianfeng District, Guang'an
Rongcheng (荣城) Tongchuanfu Quzhou Dazhu County, Dazhou
Lingquanshancheng (灵泉山城)12581258 Tongchuanfu Suining Fu Chuanshan District, Suining
Zijincheng (紫金城)1254 Tongchuanfu Tongchuan Fu Yanting County, Mianyang
Tiefengcheng (铁锋城)1243 Tongchuanfu Puzhou Anyue County, Ziyang
Hutoucheng (虎头城)12651275 Tongchuanfu Fushun Jian Fushun County, Zigong protected by Sichuan Province
Dadaozhai (大刀寨)1253 Tongchuanfu Rongzhou (Sichuan) Rong County, Zigong
Jishengzhai (集生砦)12441258 Tongchuanfu Rongzhou (Sichuan) Rong County, Zigong protected by Sichuan Province
Wanshoushancheng (万寿山城) Tongchuanfu Luzhou Lu County, Luzhou protected by Sichuan Province
Rongshancheng (榕山城)1239 Tongchuanfu Luzhou Hejiang County, Luzhou
Anleshancheng (安乐山城)12401277 Tongchuanfu Luzhou Hejiang County, Luzhou
Sanjiangqi (三江碛)1239 Tongchuanfu Luzhou Jiang'an County, Yibin
Anyuanzhai (安远寨) Tongchuanfu Luzhou Jiang'an County, Yibin
Denggaocheng12671275 Tongchuanfu Xuzhou Cuiping District, Yibin
Xianlucheng12601275 Tongchuanfu Xuzhou Cuiping District, Yibin
Lingxiaocheng12571288 Tongchuanfu Changning Jun Xingwen County, Yibin
Kuzhu'ai12361258 Lizhou Longqing Fu Jiange County, Guangyuan protected by Sichuan Province
Changningshancheng Lizhou Lizhou Jiange County, Guangyuan protected by Guangyuan
Edingbao1258 Lizhou Lizhou Jiange County, Guangyuan
Xiaoningcheng1245 Lizhou Bazhou Pingchang County, Bazhong protected by Sichuan Province
Dehancheng12491264 Lizhou Bazhou Tongjiang County, Bazhong protected by Sichuan Province
Pingliangcheng1251 Lizhou Bazhou Bazhou District, Bazhong protected by Sichuan Province
Dahuocheng12441258 Lizhou Langzhou Cangxi County, Guangyuan protected by Sichuan Province
Kua'aocheng1253 Lizhou Langzhou Nanbu County, Nanchong
Yunshancheng12461258 Lizhou Fengzhou Peng'an County, Nanchong
Baidicheng 12421278 Kuizhou Kuizhou Fengjie County, Chongqing protected at the national level Bai di cheng.jpg
Tianshengcheng12411276 Kuizhou Wanzhou Wanzhou District, Chongqing protected at the national level
Chongqingcheng12401278 Kuizhou Chongqing Fu Yuzhong District, Chongqing protected at the national level
Duogongcheng1243 Kuizhou Chongqing Fu Jiangbei District, Chongqing protected by Chongqing
Santaicheng12661280 Kuizhou Fuzhou Fuling District, Chongqing
Huanghuacheng12651277 Kuizhou Zhongzhou Zhong County, Chongqing
Tiancicheng1263 Kuizhou Daning Jian Wushan County, Chongqing protected by Chongqing
Chiniucheng12421276 Kuizhou Liangshan Jun Liangping District, Chongqing
Longyacheng12561278 Kuizhou Nanping Jun Nanchuan District, Chongqing protected by Chongqing
Shaoqingcheng12721278 Kuizhou Qinzhou Pengshui County, Chongqing
Panshicheng Kuizhou Yun'an Jun Yunyang County, Chongqing protected by Chongqing

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