Xuanfanling is a ridge that breaks abruptly from Jiaoxi to Jianggu Mountains. To the east, west and north is an abyss, that is, cliffs on three sides, like hanging cloud banners, so it is named Xuanfanling. Located in Shuiling Village, Jianggu Town, Zhenyuan County. Because of the dangerous mountains and ridges, clouds and mist linger all year round, so it is also called Yunshang.
Qing Dynasty Xianfeng fifth year, 1855 AD. Tongren local forces rebelled against the Qing Dynasty. After they occupied Sinan, Shiqian, Yinjiang and other entire Tongren, they then invaded Sizhou, Qingxi and Qiongshui (Sansui). Important military and political officials in Sizhou, Qingxi and Qiongshui fled to Zhenyuan. In the same year, 1855. Under the leadership of Zhang Xiumei, the Miao people in southeastern Guizhou revolted against the Qing Dynasty, which was known as the "anti-Miao" in history. They occupied Taigong, Shibing, Danjiang and Guzhou, and important military and political officials from these places also fled to Zhenyuan. Except for Zhenyuan, the entire southeastern Guizhou and Tongren areas were occupied by the two rebel armies. The two rebel armies formed an alliance and prepared to attack Zhenyuan from the east and west.
At this time, people in Zhenyuan City were panicking, and the military and political officials who had fled from other places began to find other places to escape.
The seventh year of Xianfeng in the Qing Dynasty, that is, 1857 AD. Local officials from 12 government offices including Sizhou, Qingxi, Qiongshui, Shibing, Huangping, Danjiang, Yuping, and several hundred people came to Xuanfanling under the leadership of local officials in Zhenyuan. After arriving at Xuanfan Ridge, they set up camp and opened up wasteland for farming. We built fortifications at the three cliff intersections in the east, west and north, called the east gate, west gate and north gate slope. The following year, 1858 AD, two rebel armies attacked Zhenyuan. The Tongren rebels attacked from Zhenyuan Dongguan (today's Dongguan), but were blocked by the Zhenyuan defenders and could not attack for a long time. Zhang Xiumei's Miao rebel army came from Shi Bing and attacked Zhenyuan from Wende Pass. They were also blocked by the Zhenyuan defenders and could not attack for a long time. So the Tongren rebels retreated to Yuping, and then attacked Hunan Phoenix and Chongqing Xiushan. The two rebel armies finally failed to capture Zhenyuan Reunion. Zhang Xiumei led the rebel army to bypass Zhenyuan and go straight to Xuanfan Ridge. They climbed up the north gate slope of Xuanfan Ridge and fought a bloody battle on the north gate slope, preparing to capture Xuanfan Ridge and eliminate the military and political dignitaries who had fled here.
The defenders of Xuanfanling were condescending, guarding the north gate where only one man could guard the gate and no one could open it, and they fought bravely. At the same time, they burned the rake nails red and fired gunpowder from the barrel. In order to scare the enemy, they applied mud to the barrel and then spread it over the barrel with a sunburner to show how big the barrel was. The Miao army saw that the red nails fired from the cannon were very powerful and caused many casualties. After being unable to attack for a long time, the Miao army withdrew and went down the mountain. Go all the way down to attack Xinhuangzhijiang, and go all the way north to attack and Majiang .
In the fourth year of Tongzhi , in 1865 AD, the Tongren Rebel Army was suppressed by the Qing army. In 1869, military and political officials from Xuanfanling moved into Zhenyuan City one after another. In 1872, Zhang Xiumei's Miao army was defeated by the Qing army, thus ending the 18-year "anti-Miao" campaign. Military and political officials from various counties who had lived in Xuanfanling for 12 years also returned to their posts from Zhenyuan and resumed their posts. And their second hometown, Xuanfanling, still stands on the top of the clouds and mists, telling those thrilling past events.
