Minbei History

Shunchang, Baoshan, Dali, Shaowu, Futun Creek, Zhima, Jian’ou, Guangxiao Temple, Baoning Temple, Nakou, Weimin, Twin Sages Temple You know the “Monkey King”? Of course. Sun Wukong. But what you may not know: the Monkey King wasn’t born in a book. He was born in Fujian. On a mountain peak 1,304 meters high. There’s a Yuan Dynasty stone shrine up there. Inside, it enshrines the “Sage Reaching Heaven” and the “Great Sage Equaling Heaven.” ...

Shaowu, Guangze, Shunchang, Nanping, Futun Creek, Nakou, Shaikou, Weimin, Yangkou, Dabugang, Longtou Rapids, Jishui Rapids, Guanyin Rapids, Sanjian Rapids Have you ever seen real rapids? Not the kind you find at a theme park. The kind that actually kills people. In 1780, at “Jishui Tan” alone, 12 boats capsized in a single year. Over 3,000 logs were lost. In 1890, a sudden rainstorm at “Guanyin Tan” sent four salt-laden boats crashing into hidden reefs. Over 200,000 jin of salt sank to the riverbed. ...

Guangze, Shaowu, Shunchang, Yingtan, Xiamen, Zixi, Zhima, Nakou, Shaikou, Weimin, Yangkou, Dabugang, Futun Creek Do you know how the Yingxia Railway was built? The answer may surprise you: hundreds of thousands of civilian workers, armed with picks, shovels, carrying poles, and bamboo baskets, dug it out of the mountains of Northern Fujian—inch by inch. From 1955 to 1957, every county in Northern Fujian was mobilized. Guangze contributed 5,000 workers. Shaowu sent 12,000. Shunchang added 8,500. ...

Shaowu, Futun Creek, Qiao Creek, Zhaowu, East Gate (Chaoyang), West Gate (Yanbin), South Gate (Gongyang), North Gate (Tongyuan), Qingfeng Gate (Water Gate) Did you know that Shaowu once had a 4,400-meter stone city wall? Five gates, 48 enemy towers, over 1,200 crenellations. The base was 1.5 zhang wide, the top 1 zhang, all built from cut stone blocks. They called it “Iron Shaowu.” Today, almost nothing remains. Less than 500 meters of broken walls scattered near the East and South gates. ...

Guangze, Shaowu, Shunchang, Jian’ou, Nanping, Futun Creek, Fuling, Zhima, Nakou, Shaikou, Weimin, Yangkou, Dabugang, Eighteen Rapids Can you imagine—a river that once sustained an entire region? Stretching 285 kilometers, the Futun Creek flows through Guangze, Shaowu, and Shunchang before merging into the Min River at Nanping. Before roads and railways, it was the sole artery connecting the mountainous interior of northern Fujian with the outside world. In 1780, during the Qianlong era, the Shaowu section alone had 12 docks, with over 100 boats passing daily. ...