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| Entrance encryption at the Main Gate, Hulishan Fortress |
Located 1km southeast
of Xiamen University lays an ancient battleground, the Hulishan Cannon Fort. A
fortress fortified with a mixture of camphor tree sap, glutinous rice, liquid
brown sugar, sand and clay. The toughest military defensive installation during
the time of Emperor Guangxu was established in the year 1984. Armed with huge
artillery and more than 50 cannons, the fort is a landmark of Xiamen’s desolate
history of rise and fall.
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| A view from the inside of the fortress |
It is constructed on a
rectangular shape with an area of 13,000 square meters made of granite has
played a major rule of fending off enemies and colonial aggressors since the
ancient time up until the 1940’s. The garrison
also holds a number of secret channels, ammunition depositories, castles and
trenches which are open to the public.
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| Ancient cannons unearthed during excavation. |
There are two main
cannons installed in this garrison which was purchased from a German conglomerate,
Krupp. The emplacements of the cannon from East to West are connected by a
tunnel. Out of the two huge guns, only
one has survived. The 280mm caliber, 50
tons, 13.13 meters cannon has a maximum firing range of up to 16 Km. There are also more than 50 canons that have
been unearthed during the excavation and renovation of the fortress which dates
back to the Ming and Qing dynasties.
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| The 280mm by 13m Krupp cannon from Germany. |
The
Rongguang Museum also showcases over 4000 exhibits of stunning artifacts from
the ancient weaponry and artillery from China and the rest of the world. The reconstruction in 1986 help restore the glorious
moments of the garrison. Huge carvings and sculptures have improved the
scenic location such as the Dragon spring Waterfalls, The Poem Wall of Hulishan
Fortress, and the Moonlight Rock which is situated on a small garden in the northern
area of the fortress.
In 2000, Hulishan Cannon Fort has been
included in the Guinness Book of World Record as one of China’s key Historical
and cultural heritage.
The
admission cost CNY 25.00 and you can take a taxi or by public bus (No. 2, 22,
48, 86, 87, 106, 29, 47, 809, 96, 35) and get off at the Hulishan Stop (胡里山站). The opening
is from 0730 – 1800 hrs.
Check out the slideshow below to see more pictures of this spot.
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