During the Qin and Han dynasties, the Lingnan region was integrated into the centralized feudal empire of the Central Plains. Since then, Lingnan has been extensively developed, and the migration of northerners to the south has continued unabated. The Danxiashan area became a settlement area for southern clans to thrive. From the Tang and Song dynasties to the Ming and Qing dynasties, the population in the region further expanded, villages and towns flourished, and Danxiashan was further developed. The activities of various dynasties have left us with a rich cultural heritage.

　　I. Ancient Mountain Fortress

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　　The most typical feature of the ancient Danxiashan fortress is that “Every mountain has a fortress, every fortress has a door, and every door must be dangerous”. Existing ancient fortresses were mostly built at the end of the Qing Dynasty and during the Republic of China period as temporary residences for local people seeking refuge from trouble. These fortresses have very strong defenses. The grand Tianyishanzhai Fortress, the stronghold-like Bazhai Fortress, the strategically located Ximeizhai Fortress, the clearly demarcated Rencheng Luyitang, and the well-constructed Heshuyan Fortress are all closely integrated with the unique terrain and landscape of Danxiashan. These mountain fortresses not only have a perilous geographical location, but also offer rocks for shelter, trees for firewood, and springs for water. During times of frequent warfare, these places became ideal refuges for people seeking to escape the chaos.

　　仁城禄意堂Rencheng Luyitang              丫叉寨Yatouzhai Fortress

　　1.Ximeizhai Fortress

　　Ximeizhai Fortress is located 2 kilometers east of Chewan Village in Danxia Street, Renhua County, Shaoguan City. During the late Ming Dynasty, chaos ensued when Chuang Wang rebelled against the court. To escape the turmoil, a wealthy and influential family from Chetou Village, led by Wu Dezhang, fled to the mountaintop and built a village, naming it "Ximeizhai."

　　During the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty, the Taiping Rebellion broke out, causing civil unrest. The descendants of the Wu family sought refuge on the mountain again and rebuilt the village. Ximeizhai Fortress faces east and is surrounded by steep cliffs on three sides, with access only via a man-made stone staircase called the "Jiujiutianti (Ninety-nine Steps Ladder to Heaven)." The village, constructed from red sandstone, features three large gates guarding the only path up the mountain. These gates are incredibly sturdy, embodying the momentum of "one man can hold the pass against ten thousand enemies."

　　2. Bazhai Fortress

　　Bazhai Fortress, located 1.5 kilometers west of Nuankeng Village, is the highest peak of Danxiashan, with an altitude of 619.2 meters. In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the local people built a shelter in a rocky cave halfway up the mountainside to avoid trouble. This shelter became a famous natural fortress during the warring years in northern Guangdong. In front of the fortress gate, there is an overhanging staircase about 30 meters long, nearly vertical, and passable only by one person, with shooting holes in the gate. The main building is located under a horizontal cave and has two floors. The first floor has three north-facing caverns juxtaposed, while the second floor shows the remains of quarrying on the rocky bottom. Additionally, a half-moon-shaped pool was built on the north side of the mountain.

　3.Tianshanyizhai Fortress

　　Tianyishanzhai Fortress is located 2 kilometers northwest of Bainiben Village, on the eastern side peak of Xinzhai Fortress, with an altitude of 390 meters. It was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty by Ye Changqing, who lived in seclusion in the mountains. This fortress is relatively large and has left behind many rich relics. The main buildings include 22 rooms. The base of the houses is made of red sandstone blocks, while the upper parts are built with either blue bricks or red sandstone. Four pools were also dug within the fortress, each with names carved into the cliffs beside them: "Yuchi Pond," "Longevity and Health," "Changqingquan Spring," and "Jianquan Spring." These inscriptions were made between the thirteenth and fifteenth years of the Qianlong reign (1748-1750).

　　The "relief sculpture" is a two-tiered archway. The top of the first tier is shaped like a precious gourd, with the eaves decorated with carp. The eaves of the second tier are adorned with decorations resembling phoenix tails. Floral patterns are carved on the beams and lintels. The plaque on the archway is inscribed with the four characters "Yibi Shangao" (meaning "Righteousness is higher than the mountains)." The entire relief sculpture is exquisitely detailed, showcasing superb carving techniques.

　　Ⅱ、Ancient temple

　　朝阳岩寺Chaoyangyan Temple

　　金龙山岩庙 Jinlongshanyan Temple

　　燕岩禅寺　Yanyan Buddhist Temple

　　Shaozhou area has a rich Buddhist culture. During the Tang Dynasty, the Sixth Patriarch Huineng spread his teachings at Nanhua Buddhist Temple in Qujiang, establishing the Southern School of Chan Buddhism. Shaozhou, situated at a key transportation hub between the north and south, became a center of Buddhist culture influencing the entire nation. Immersed in this rich Buddhist culture and located along major transportation routes, Buddhism quickly spread and developed in Danxiashan. Historical records mention temples such as Lingshu Temple, Jianfeng Temple, Xinlong Temple, Shaoshi Nunnery, Wenshu Monastery, and Fukeng Temple, etc. The Jinguiyan Temple and Jinshiyan Temple, both built during the Northern Song Dynasty, are still preserved today. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Buddhism became increasingly widespread among the people. As villages and populations expanded, Buddhism gradually penetrated the mountainous areas. Many rock temples built in the mountains were closely related to the surrounding villages, with several monasteries being collectively established by large local families.

  Ⅲ、Ancient Villages

Villages on the Small Alluvial Plains of Jinjiang River (Xiajing Village)

　　Scattered within the Danxiashan area are numerous ancient villages. The most ancient are Xiafu and Xiajing Village along the Jinjiang River, Zhangwu and Pingfu Village along the Zhenjiang River, all established during the Tang and Song dynasties. These villages are primarily distributed along the alluvial plains of the rivers. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the population increased rapidly, leading to the emergence of more villages, mostly distributed in the alluvial plains and a few in valley areas. This distribution reflects the population concentration and evolution in the area.

　　The residents of the villages around Danxiashan are mostly of the Hakka ethnic group. The villages are relatively small and sparsely scattered. Traditional buildings in these ancient villages include ancestral halls and residential houses. The ancestral halls come in two forms: standalone buildings and “combined hall and residence” style ancestral hall, while the residential houses are mainly in the row house style.

  Ⅳ、Ancient Road

　　The ancient routes, with their continuous flow of merchants and wandering monks, are a true portrayal of the ancient pathways. Danxiashan is located along the ancient post road of northern Guangdong, with multiple ancient routes distributed within its territory, converging in Renhua County Town and Zhoutian Town. The ancient routes are divided into land roads and waterways, connecting Shaoguan, Shixing, and Nanxiong, and were essential routes for travelers from the Central Plains and Jiangnan regions, passing through Ganzhou and crossing the Mount Dayushan to enter southern Guangdong.

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Waterway Transportation

　　浈江

　　Zhenjiang River

　　锦江

　　Jinjiang River

　　The waterways primarily follow the ancient Zhenjiang and Jinjiang waterways. Zhenjiang has a wide water surface and a large volume of water, serving as the main waterway for crossing the Mount Dayuling and entering southern Guangdong in ancient times. It is convenient and fast, capable of transporting bulk goods, and is one of the important channels connecting the regions north and south of the Lingnan area.

　　In the "Qujiang Local Chronicles" from the Xuantong years of the Qing Dynasty, it is recorded: "Tracing the Zhenjiang River upstream from the Pingpu area, it reaches as far as Nanxiong and Jiangxi, where large boats can navigate. However, from a small village to the Bawei area, only small boats can be used." "As for the Jinjiang River, tracing it upstream from the southeast direction of Qujiang County to Renhua County town, only small boats can navigate, and there is no place for large boats." At that time, most of the commercial exchanges between Qujiang County and the outside world, such as agricultural products, medicinal materials, timber, and minerals, were transported via waterways. However, if transporting to places like Hunan and Jiangxi, land transportation was sometimes used.

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Land routes:

　　Land routes either extend along village and town settlements or are distributed along mountain valleys. The ancient roads between villages and towns are mostly paved with cobblestones, while those in the mountain valleys are often made of red sandstone steps. Additionally, along the ancient roads, there are still remnants of stone bridges, tea pavilions, post stations, and ancient wells.

　　Shimupo, also known as Yapoyan Tea Pavilion, is located on the ancient road of Yapoyan Village in Danxia Street. It runs north to south and is built with red sandstone, blue bricks, and adobe bricks, with a wok ear-style gable. On January 4-5, 1928, the Nanchang Uprising Army led by Zhu De passed through this place.

　　Wannianqiao Bridge, located beside Laojie Village in Daqiao Town, is a double-arched bridge made of red sandstone strips. It runs east to west and is an ancient pedestrian bridge jointly built by the local people and the government.

  V. Ancient Tombs

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　　The Danxiashan area is home to numerous ancient tombs, including monk tower tombs, cave tombs, and urn coffins. The monk tower tombs around the Zhanglaofeng Peak area are the most distinctive.

　　Monk Pagoda Tombs

　　The monk pagoda tombs of Jinshiyan Temple and Biechuan Chan Temple are found around the Zhanglaofeng Peak area. Made of red sandstone and mostly dating back to the Qing Dynasty, these tombs have a similar structure comprising a base, a pagoda body, and a stupa. The arched protective walls and semicircular sacrificial platforms around the tombs resemble traditional Hakka tombs, reflecting the integration of Buddhist funeral customs with local burial practices.

　　宝珠峰塔墓

　　Baozhufeng Pagoda Tomb

　　丹霞普同塔

　　Danxia Putong Pagoda

　　锦石岩普同塔

　　Jinshiyan Putong Pagoda

　　Ⅵ、Cliff Inscriptions

　　Due to their location in mountainous areas, many of the cliff inscriptions in Danxiashan remained largely unknown throughout history. These inscriptions document a wealth of information about the society of their time, providing important historical and physical evidence for studying the development of Danxiashan, the regional economy, and the spread of historical culture.

　　National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit: Danxiashan Cliff Inscriptions

　　The Danxiashan cliff inscriptions are located in the Zhanglaofeng Peak area of Danxiashan Scenic Area, Shaoguan, Guangdong Province. They are primarily distributed around Jinshiyan Temple, the old mountain gate of Biechuan Chan Temple, as well as Mengjueguan Cave, Tongtianxia Ravine, Hongyan Rock, Banzhai Fortress, Hailuoyan Rock, and Baozhufeng Peak. Since the Tang and Song dynasties, many monks, pilgrims, political figures, and literati have visited this area. In these locations, literati have left 111 cliff inscriptions, with eight from the Song dynasty and nine from the Yuan dynasty being particularly notable. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the number of inscriptions increased significantly. The calligraphy styles include regular script, running script, and cursive script, and the content includes inscriptions, signatures, notes, poems, epitaphs, and travelogues. These inscriptions are not only numerous and widely distributed but also possess rich historical and cultural value, providing important physical evidence for studying the local history and cultural development.

　　In March 2013, the Danxiashan cliff inscriptions were designated by the State Council as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

　　"Danxia," regular script, Yin engraving. Wang Ling, courtesy name Zhongxi, was from Weinan, Shaanxi during the Qing dynasty. He inscribed these characters on the steep cliff to the right of the old mountain gate of Biechuan Chan Temple. Wang Ling was an outstanding tribute student and later served as the Surveillance Commissioner of Guangdong. He excelled in poetry and prose, authoring the "Nianxi Tang Poetry Collection" in eight volumes and the "Gu Xue Tang Prose Collection" in nineteen volumes, with some works included in the "General Catalogue of the Four Treasuries." Wang Ling served in Guangdong from the seventh year of the Kangxi era (1668), to about ten years after the twentieth year of the Kangxi era (1681). During his tenure in Guangdong, he frequently interacted with local Buddhist figures and left many calligraphy works