Baizhang Gorge
Baizhang Gorge: Legend says after Xiang Dakun obtained four treasures—the heavenly book (unfortunately stolen), bow and arrows, a precious sword, and a divine horse—he formally raised the banner of rebellion at Shuirao Simen and proclaimed himself king. He first appointed Zhidao, Zhide, Zhishan, and Zhici as the four great generals of Dragon, Tiger, Leopard, and Phoenix; he honored the leaders of five tribes—the Eight-Bu Great God, Huanglong Zhenren, Chen Xiang, Xia Dezhong, and Yang Si—as chief commanders (Shandao Valley...)
This article has been compiled from historical materials on 'Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network' (33519.com · Specialty Foods / Cuisine / Customs section). Prices, business hours, administrative divisions, and statistical data mentioned in the text may already be outdated. Before traveling, please refer to the latest announcements from merchants, scenic areas, and local competent authorities; the parts involving folk legends and folk customs are local historical and cultural anecdotes, provided for cultural reference.
Baizhang Gorge
Legend has it that after Xiang Dakun obtained four treasures—the Heavenly Book (which was unfortunately stolen), a bow and arrows, a precious sword, and a divine horse—he formally raised the banner of rebellion at Shuirao Simen and proclaimed himself king. He first appointed Zhidao, Zhide, Zhishan, and Zhici as the four great generals of Dragon, Tiger, Leopard, and Phoenix; he honored the eight tribal gods and five tribal chiefs—Huanglong Zhenren, Chen Xiang, Xia Dezhong, Yang Si, and others—as marshals (today in Shandao Gully there remains the scenic spot 'Five Generals Paying Homage to the Marshal'), and ordered them to garrison respectively at the front three passes of Yamen, Jiangya, and Sanguan Temple, and the rear three passes of Wenyang, Jiaozhiya, and Cangguan Valley; he set up the eight formation gates of 'Xiu, Sheng, Shang, Du, Si, Jing, Jing, Kai' at Qingya Mountain; he also built eighteen stockaded villages including Huangshi, Yaozi, Jiazhai, Qingya, Yangzhai, Yangzi, Biantong, Sugu, Qingshi, and Denglong; he also opened wasteland for farming at Yuanjiajie to store grain and fodder; and mined iron at Kuangdong Valley to forge weapons. The Tujia and Miao people of the eighteen caves of northwestern Hunan, like stars surrounding the moon and birds paying homage to the phoenix, responded one after another.
When the imperial court learned of this, it was greatly alarmed and successively sent the Marquis of Zhongshan, Tang He; the Marquis of Jiangxia, Zhou Dexing; the Marquis of Yingchuan, Fu Youde; and the great generals for suppressing the barbarians, Hu Hai and Deng Yu, leading 150,000 government troops to come and suppress them. In history this was called the 'Five Marquises' Southern Campaign.'
One day, King Tianzi Xiang was drilling troops at Zhima Ta when a scout came galloping up to report that the emperor's hundred-thousand government troops had arrived at Baizhang Gorge! King Xiang immediately donned full armor and led his Tujia soldiers from Longwei Stream through Kangjin Rock straight to the western mouth of the gorge, where he planted his commander's banner and prepared to meet the enemy (today called 'Chaqi Yu'—Planting the Banner Valley). The great general for suppressing the barbarians, Deng Yu, personally came out to challenge, and on this side the Dragon General Xiang Zhidao raised his spear to meet him. The two armies began battle at 'Jiehuo Bridge.'
King Xiang gave a great shout: "Strike the chun and play the music!" Instantly, the bronze tiger-button chun (an ancient Tujia military instrument) rang out with a clanging sound, and when the Tujia soldiers heard this military music, their morale soared. On the other side, General Deng's spear technique was masterful, his divine spear like a meteor chasing the moon; on this side, Xiang Zhidao's martial skill was superb, his iron spear like wind sweeping away remnant clouds. They fought until heaven and earth grew dark, sand and stones flew, and neither could gain the upper hand. But the Tujia soldiers, after all, had long suffered from the fatigue of war and could hardly hold out, so they had to sound the gong and withdraw.
Deng Yu, relying on his superior numbers, gave the Tujia soldiers no chance to catch their breath and again personally came to the front to challenge. King Xiang did not reply but secretly ordered his soldiers to carry out about a hundred wooden cages and line them up in front of the formation. Deng Yu sat on his horse, pointed at Dakun, and said, "Rebel leader! You have rebelled against your superiors and deserve death. Dismount and be bound, and you may be spared!" King Xiang waved his Green Snake Sword and roared, "Release!" The Tujia soldiers hurriedly opened the cage doors, and one fierce beast after another, like arrows loosed from the string, howled and charged at the government troops. Before Deng Yu understood what was happening, a fierce tiger with a striped forehead had already rushed in front of his horse. The horse gave a startled cry and turned to flee! Those starving beasts bit everyone they saw. In an instant, the government troops fell into chaos, trampling and pushing one another, crying for their fathers and mothers. Countless were bitten or trampled to death.
Originally, King Xiang, thinking he could not match the government troops, had devised a unique tactic: 'beast warfare.' Early in the uprising, he had sent hunters into the mountains to capture fierce beasts and shut them in wooden cages, giving them neither water nor food for several days, waiting for the right moment to unleash a 'starving beast pouncing on prey.'
Deng Yu, having suffered this silent loss, had no choice but to retreat to 'Jundi Ping' (today's Suoxiyu Town, Wulingyuan) and shut himself in, refusing to come out. Just as he was feeling deeply depressed, five stunningly beautiful women floated into his tent. These five women were the five daughters of Yang Jing, the Pingzhang of Huguang, named Chunfeng, Qiufeng, Lafeng, Jinfeng, and Yinfeng. Each possessed unique skills and extraordinary martial arts. Because their father Yang Jing had been demoted after failing to suppress Qin, this time they came to campaign in the south on their father's behalf. Thus, Zhangjiajie has the ancient legend of the 'Five Women's Southern Campaign.'
The eldest sister, Chunfeng, volunteered to fight.
This Yang Chunfeng was skilled in swordsmanship and full of stratagems. She had followed her father in suppressing the barbarians and repeatedly distinguished herself. However, this time, seeing that the Tujia barbarians were incomparably brave—each carrying swords and knives in their mouths, strong bows across their bodies, and long spears in their hands, switching as needed—she could not help but feel somewhat timid. She did not rush to challenge them. Instead, on a stone platform halfway up the mountain, she set up a 'Stage in the Clouds,' and from the women's camp selected a hundred stunningly beautiful female soldiers. One by one they removed their military attire and, completely naked, danced nude on the stage. As they danced, they scattered flowers toward the Tujia soldiers. For a time, dancing shadows were faint and lovely, songs lingered endlessly, and fragrant flowers fell like dots—truly like heavenly fairies treading on clouds and descending to the mortal world!
King Xiang saw through their trick and ordered General Long: "Set up a stage and answer with songs and dances!" General Long stood on horseback, raised his head toward Yang Chunfeng, and sang:
"Ah ho yeh—"
Before the final note faded, thousands of Tujia officers and soldiers sang in chorus:
"Ah yeh ah yeh ho! Ah yeh ho yeh ah yeh ho!"
Songs mingled with gongs and drums, footsteps kept time with bronze bells. They sang, they jumped, they danced. After the 'Saber Dance' they danced the 'Spear Dance'; after the 'Spear Dance' they danced the 'Crossbow Dance.' They sang of Huandou and Mount Chong, sang of the ancestors of the Ba Kingdom, sang of King Wu's campaign against Zhou. They sang for three days and three nights and danced for three days and three nights. Those five Yang women had originally wanted to use their beauty to defeat the barbarians, but never expected that every one of them could sing and every one could dance! Yang Chunfeng, having failed in one scheme, devised another. She called out to Zhidao, "I have long heard of General Long's tiger-like might. Today we finally meet. It seems you and I still have a seven-tenths destiny as a match!" Before her voice faded, a clamor rose from the stage: "Dragon matches Phoenix! Phoenix matches Dragon! Phoenix matches Dragon! Dragon matches Phoenix!" Zhidao looked up, and suddenly heard a 'swoosh'—a poisoned arrow struck him right in the right side of his neck! Originally, Zhidao had a body of hard martial arts; spears could not pierce him, arrows could not enter him—except for the white birthmark on the right side of his neck. Somehow a traitor had leaked this secret, bringing about his fatal disaster. The one who had just shot the cold arrow was Chunfeng's younger sister, Qiufeng.
With a miserable cry, Zhidao fell from his horse. King Xiang was greatly shocked. Taking advantage of the five sisters' revelry, he drew his bow and shot two arrows in succession toward the stage (today at Baizhang Gorge there remains 'Silver Arrow Rock'). Good arrows! They struck true, hitting Qiufeng squarely in both breasts. Alas, this beautiful young lady of the Yang family tumbled headlong down the hundred-zhang cliff, her body shattered and her fragrance extinguished in an instant!
When the Xiang army saw their commander killed, they pounced on the government troops like enraged lions. On the other side, Deng Yu personally held the line—what a bloody battle it was! By nightfall, pine-torch torches illuminated the entire gorge. Only the weeping of gods and wailing of ghosts could be heard, and all that could be seen was flesh and blood flying and bones piling into mountains (today called 'Skeleton Slope').
King Tianzi Xiang, having lost his eldest son, was overcome with grief. The eight tribal generals advised, "Rather than lose soldiers and generals fighting for every inch of land, it would be better to avoid their sharp edge and lure the enemy deep in." King Tianzi Xiang nodded in agreement and secretly ordered the camp to be broken, thus ending the Battle of Baizhang Gorge. Later, people also called Baizhang Gorge 'Baizhang Gorge' (Hundred-Battle Gorge).