Yongshun
Nature has favored Yongshun generously: the heaven-sent Mengdong River runs like a silver chain through the entire county, awakening its spirit. Along the river lies a series of wondrous sights—Bu'er Gate, Guanyin Rock, hot springs, Xiaoxi primitive forest, Laosicheng, Wangcun and more—each colorful and captivating.
This article is compiled from the original travel notes on the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com); it is a record of trips from earlier years. Time-sensitive information such as ticket prices, schedules, and accommodation prices is subject to the latest announcements from scenic areas and transportation authorities; the itinerary ideas and attraction introductions still have reference value.
Nature's creation gave Yongshun an exceptional favor: a heaven-sent Mengdong River runs like a silver chain through the entire territory of Yongshun, activating all the spiritual vitality of Yongshun. Along this river, a series of wonderful landscapes winds into form: such as Bu'er Gate, Guanyin Rock, hot springs, Xiaoxi primitive wild forest, Laosicheng, Wangcun, and so on. The richness and colorfulness of these scenic spots never fail to make visitors linger and forget to return.
In addition to the wonderful natural landscapes, heaven also endowed this land with a profound humanistic history. Historical records show that people lived here before the Spring and Autumn period. During the Qin Dynasty, this place belonged to Qianzhong Commandery; during the Han Dynasty, Youyang County was established; and during the Tang Dynasty, Xizhou was set up. In 940 AD, the first major historical event occurred on this land. At that time, Peng Shichou, who served as the prefect of Xizhou, signed a famous armistice covenant with Ma Xifan, King of Chu. According to the covenant, the two sides divided their spheres of influence. Peng Shichou's eldest son, Peng Shiyu, accepted the northern region and became the ancestor of the Yongshun tusi; his second son, Peng Shigao, accepted the southern region and became the ancestor of the Baojing tusi. This covenant was cast into a huge bronze pillar, which has been preserved to this day and has become an important historical witness relic that later generations can see and touch. After the tusi system was established, it continued for as long as 800 years. During this period, the Peng clan built Laosicheng in Yongshun, and some ruins of the city-building site are still preserved today.
During the 800 years of tusi rule, one tusi xuanwei shisi achieved extraordinary merit in Ming history. This tusi's name was Peng Yinan. In the 33rd year of the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, he led 3,000 elite troops to the front line along the southeast coast and, together with Peng Jinchen, xuanwei shisi of Baojing, annihilated and cleared out thousands of Japanese pirates. For this he was granted the title of Zhaoyi General by the imperial court.
In the sixth year of the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty (1728), another major event occurred in Yongshun's history. In that year, a war broke out between the Baojing tusi and the Sangzhi tusi because of discord between affinal relatives. The two sides were forcibly resolved by troops sent by the imperial court. Peng Zhaohuai, the tusi king in Yongshun, felt that when the lips are gone the teeth are cold, so he voluntarily requested "gaitu guiliu" (replacing native officials with appointed officials). The Qing court accepted the request, and from then on the tusi in Yongshun, Baojing, Sangzhi, and other places all successively declared the end of their rule. The imperial court quickly established the Yongshun prefect in Yongshun and began to administer the four counties of Yong, Bao, Sang, and Long. The event of "gaitu guiliu" was of great significance: the tusi kings who had once possessed supreme power completely lost their great authority from then on.
The Qing Dynasty established appointed officials and ruled in Yongshun for more than 180 years. During this period, two major events are worth recording. One was that in the eighth year of Yongzheng (1730), Yongshun prefect Yuan Chengchong and county magistrate Li Jin led the use of treasury funds to build Yongshun county town at Mengdongping, namely present-day Lingxi Town. The city wall was 2.5 kilometers long and 5.1 meters high, all built of brick and stone. The second was that during the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period, the "Jiayin Uprising" movement broke out in Yongshun. The leader was Peng Yinan, a Tujia person from Yongshun, who called himself "Zhenming Wang." In November 1854 he led his troops to capture Yongshun city, but later the uprising was suppressed and pacified by Qing troops, and Peng Yinan hanged himself and died.
During the Republic of China period, major historical events in Yongshun occurred one after another. In July 1929, Xiang Ziyun, commander of the "Yong-Sang Pacification," led more than 2,000 people to attack the Sangzhi Red Army and was completely annihilated by the Chixi River, with Xiang Ziyun himself becoming food for the fish. On November 7, 1934, the Second and Sixth Red Army Corps captured Yongshun county town. On the 16th, they won another great victory at Shiwanping, annihilating most of the forces of the Kuomintang units under Gong Renjie and Zhou Xieqing. The Red Army then established a red base area centered on Tawo, and only withdrew during the Long March. During the War of Resistance Against Japan, the greenwood hero Peng Chunrong (nicknamed Peng Jiaolüzi) was dominant for a time. His subordinate Liang Haiqing led troops into Yongshun city in January 1943. Not long after, Chiang Kai-shek issued a handwritten order to the Hunan-Hubei-Sichuan-Guizhou Bandit Suppression Command to suppress within a time limit the "Peng Chunrong bandit gang between Sang, Yong, Yong, and Yuan." Peng Jiaolüzi led his troops in persistent resistance and was shot and killed in an ambush at Kexi in April 1946.
On the eve of the founding of New China, Cao Zhenya, police chief of Yongshun County, together with Wang Yuanhua, Zhou Haihuan, and others, launched the famous "March 2nd Incident." His several thousand troops captured Yuanling county town, burning, killing, raping, and looting, causing a great shock both inside and outside the province. In the early days of New China, the People's Liberation Army entered Yongshun and successively routed the Kuomintang Temporary Fourth Division and Temporary Fifth Division. Deputy Army Commander Wang Yuanhua and Temporary Fourth Division Commander Luo Wenjie surrendered. Division Commander Cao Zhenya and Brigade Commander Cao Zixi and others were shot dead. The People's Liberation Army also captured Wulian Cave and took the bandit leader Li Lanchu alive. The century-old banditry in Yongshun and the entire Xiangxi region was completely eliminated.
Yongshun County is a land of outstanding people. This land has also produced notable figures such as Li Zhuchen, Peng Shidi, Wang Zhibin, Xiang Minsi, and Li Yamin. In modern times, it has also produced poets such as Wang Chengdong and Shi Tairui, who have had a certain influence on the national poetry scene.