Tens of thousands of soldiers defended the territory; their loyal souls will forever remain in Shibao City.

        Shibao City, also known as "Iron Blade City," is located in Moduoji, Riyue Tibetan Township, 25 kilometers southwest of Huangyuan County, Xining City, Qinghai Province. Shibao City is built on a mountain about 300 meters high, with its summit at an altitude of 3600 meters. The terrain is relatively flat, with cliffs on the east, west, and south sides, forming a triangular natural castle. Only a narrow path leads to the top, making it extremely strategic and truly a place where one man can hold off ten thousand.

　　15 kilometers south of Shibao City lies Riyue Mountain, situated in the overlapping area of ​​the Loess Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, a natural dividing line between the inner and outer river basins of Qinghai Province, separating agricultural and nomadic civilizations.

Moduoji

　　Village, meaning "many forests" in Mongolian, is a beautiful little village nestled at the foot of Shibao City.

　　According to historical records, in the fifth year of the Sui Dynasty (581 AD), the Sui army built a fortified city (present-day Moduoji Village) and stationed troops there. In 1983, during a system reform, it was renamed Moduoji Village, Riyue Tibetan Township. The village has a total of 261 households and a total population of 1040, comprising Han, Tibetan, Tu, and Mongolian ethnic groups. The total area is 4 square kilometers, of which 1.5 square kilometers are arable land. Agriculture mainly focuses on barley and rapeseed cultivation. The main sources of income are animal husbandry and migrant work.

　　Despite its small size, Moduoji Village has produced many talented individuals throughout history. Especially after liberation, influenced by traditional values ​​and education, countless villagers went on to university each year, with many graduating and taking on leadership positions or dedicating themselves to education.

　　After the reform and opening up, Moduoji Village experienced a significant brain drain, with most residents settling in other counties, cities, or provinces due to changes in their work environment. Now, only about 60% of the original villagers remain in Moduoji Village. When

　　I

　　was in junior and senior high school, my friends and I went to Shibaocheng (Stone Fortress) north of Moduoji Village several times. Back then, I only knew it was called Fangtai from the adults, not that it also had a nickname, Shibaocheng. I was even less aware that it had another name, "Tierencheng" (Iron Blade City).

　　We went to Shibaocheng not for anything else, but because, as others said, there were many ancient coins (hemp coins) inside. However, I was too playful, and although I went several times, I didn't find a single copper coin, only a few fragments of pottery or bricks.

　　Another reason I wanted to go was because there was a rusty iron chain in the cracks of the stone walls leading to Shibaocheng. How could there be an iron chain there? Who put it there remained a mystery. As teenagers, we couldn't resist the temptation, and to find out, we made a pact to climb Shibaocheng.

　　Every time we went to Shibaocheng, we went secretly, without telling the adults. Because the adults all said it was "Dead Man's Gully" and "Ten Thousand People's Platform." Countless dead bodies lie buried beneath the stone fortress, but the dead remain a mystery, their stories mumbled and unclear. Sometimes we'd find large bones there, but we weren't afraid; we assumed they were the bones of cows or other animals that had fallen from the mountaintop. It wasn't

　　until after graduating high school that we learned it was an ancient battlefield. The site was originally called the Stone Fortress, and countless battles had been fought there throughout history, resulting in countless deaths and injuries. The largest and most brutal battle was between the Tang Dynasty army led by Geshu Han and the Tibetan garrison. In this battle, tens of thousands died, and the ravines below the fortress flowed with blood. At that time, no one lived at the foot of the mountain, so it naturally became Geshu Han's temporary military camp.

　　If

　　you have the courage to climb to the top of the stone fortress, you'll find two platforms of different sizes. The smaller platform to the north is about 40 meters long and wide, while the larger platform to the south is about 50 meters long and 15 meters wide. A narrow ridge connects the two platforms. On the platform, there are two small stone-built platforms, said to be beacon towers. Near the cliff edge are the remaining foundations of houses, surrounded by numerous fragments of bricks and tiles.

　　Archaeologists have collected Tang Dynasty Kaiyuan Tongbao coins from the large and small square platforms. Nearby, on Zhaobi Mountain, there is a military road, and at its foot are military ruins such as Liaoban Platform, Dianjiang Platform, a mass grave, Machang Platform, and Machang Bend.

　  Legend has it that Shibao City, this military fortress, was built in 609 AD during the Sui Dynasty when Emperor Yang of Sui led his troops westward to conquer Tuyuhun. The poem "Shibao Mountain" by the Sui Dynasty general Shi Wansui, "Who opened the towering stone city gate? The drumbeats sound like falling rocks. The white ridge of the boundary is stronger than a golden fortress, suppressing half of the southwest sky," confirms that Shibao City was a very important military stronghold at the time.

　　　In 717 AD, during the Tang Dynasty, it was occupied by the Tubo (Tibetan

　　) Empire. From 729 AD onwards, the Tang Dynasty and the Tubo engaged in a protracted war here, repeatedly vying for control of the city. After the Tang army occupied Shibao City, they established the Zhenwu Army, Shenwu Army, and Tianwei Army there.

　　(

                     II)

       Later, Shibao City was occupied by the Tubo army. After occupying Shibao City, they sent heavy troops to guard it and used it as an outpost to repeatedly launch attacks on the Tang Hexi and Longyou regions. Therefore, the Tang Dynasty regarded the Tubo army in Shibao City as a major threat. In

        March of the seventeenth year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty (March 729), Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, ordered Li Yi, the military governor of Shuofang and Prince of Xin'an, to discuss the strategy for attacking the city with the garrison generals of Hexi and Longyou. However, the generals all argued that Shibao City was far away and had a dangerous terrain, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. They also argued that the isolated army would be annihilated if it ventured too deep into the territory. They suggested that they should proceed with caution and plan for the long term. Only Li Wei disagreed. He believed that Shibao City was geographically very important and must be recaptured as soon as possible. Although there was danger, he believed that it was worth dying for the country.

　　Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, deemed Li Yi's suggestion feasible and immediately entrusted him with the important task of military governor of Shuofang and Prince of Xin'an. Li Yi boldly adopted a long-distance raiding tactic, marching day and night to Shibao City. Due to the Tibetan garrison's momentary carelessness, the Tang army caught them off guard, and Shibao City fell into Tang hands again. Emperor Xuanzong then renamed Shibao City Zhenwu Army and stationed troops there for defense.

　　From then on, the Hexi and Longyou regions of Tang were connected. The Tibetan army, however, suffered repeated defeats and once again sent envoys to sue for peace and a marriage alliance. Princess Jincheng, who was to be married off to Tibet, also mediated, and Tang agreed to Tibet's demands. In the eighteenth year, the two sides agreed to use Chiling (Riyue Mountain) as the boundary and to conduct tea and horse trade there. In the twenty-second year of the Kaiyuan era of Tang (734 AD), the Tang Dynasty and Tibet erected a monument at Chiling to commemorate this.

　　However

       , the Tibetan army, still harboring ambitions to conquer the Tang Dynasty, seized the opportunity of the Tang army's lax defenses and reoccupied Shibao City, using it as a base to attack Tang's Hehuang and other regions.

　　In an effort to quickly reclaim the lost territory, the Tang army launched several attacks on Shibao City, but ultimately failed due to the treacherous mountain roads and its easily defensible terrain.

　　After years of protracted warfare, the Tibetan and Tang armies briefly occupied Shibao City and continuously fortified the castle. Unexpectedly, the Tang army was unable to capture it for a long time.

        Therefore, in the history of the wars between the Tang and Tibetan armies, Shibao City became a place of sorrow for a considerable period…

       The prosperous Tang Dynasty valued talent and widely recruited capable individuals, adopting an open attitude towards talent from all sides, especially from the northwest frontier. Many renowned generals from different ethnic groups came to serve the Tang Dynasty, making outstanding contributions in its campaigns, including the Turkic general Geshu Han.         Before his rise to prominence, Geshu Han was a well-known playboy in Chang'an. His father was a tribal chief, and his mother was a princess of the Kingdom of Khotan. Born into nobility, he spent his days drinking, gambling, and indulging in all sorts of vices. At this time, Geshu Han was already forty years old, and no one would have imagined that he could turn his fortunes around

.

      Once, Geshu Han clashed with the county magistrate of Chang'an. He was surprised that this lowly magistrate didn't even recognize him, let alone respect him. Shame and anger, Geshu Han fled to Hexi, vowing never to return to Chang'an until he made a name for himself.

       Geshu Han joined the army of Wang Chui, the military governor of Hexi. He was generous and righteous, and possessed considerable military talent. In Wang Chui's army, he was a skilled and disciplined commander, well-liked by his soldiers, but remained a nobody.

      As the saying goes, good fortune doesn't require effort. In 746 AD, Wang Zhongsi became the military governor of Hexi, and Geshu Han, this promising talent, finally met his patron—Wang Zhongsi. Wang Zhongsi highly valued Geshu Han and quickly promoted him to deputy commander of the Da Dou Army.

        Wang Zhongsi then sent Geshu Han to conquer the Tubo (Tibetan) Empire. A lieutenant general, arrogant and disobedient to Geshu Han, was executed on the spot by Geshu Han with a wooden club. The other soldiers witnessed this and never dared to disregard his orders again. When

         the Tibetan army attacked from three directions, Geshu Han led his troops at the forefront, holding off the enemy. In the fierce battle, Geshu Han's spear broke in two, but he remained unfazed, wielding the broken spear like a dragon emerging from the sea, routing the three Tibetan armies. From then on, Geshu Han became famous throughout

        the land. Geshu Han had a unique fighting style: he would often place his spear on the shoulder of his opponent and shout loudly. If the opponent turned around, he would thrust the spear into their throat, then lift them into the air and slam them to the ground. After several such encounters, no enemy would survive. His servant, Zuo Che, would dismount and behead the enemy. The master and servant worked together seamlessly, making them virtually invincible.

       In his later years, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang remained keen on expanding the territory. He ordered Wang Zhongsi to attack the Tibetan-held Shibao City. Wang Zhongsi, however, believed that Shibao City's terrain was formidable, and that the entire Tibetan Empire was defending it. Attacking the city would be difficult and counterproductive; it would be better to prepare for battle and wait for an opportunity. Finally, Wang Zhongsi smiled slightly and uttered the resounding declaration: "How could I exchange the lives of tens of thousands for a single official position!"

        Emperor Xuanzong was displeased by this. Furthermore, Wang Zhongsi's lack of cooperation in the subsequent siege delayed the capture of Shibao City. Enraged, Emperor Xuanzong summoned Wang Zhongsi

         back to the capital for rigorous interrogation. Upon hearing of Wang Zhongsi's arrest and imprisonment, Geshu Han, disregarding the emperor's fury, resolutely decided to go to his rescue. His subordinates advised him to take ample funds for bribery, but Geshu Han understood that no amount of money could sway the emperor's will. He declared resolutely, "If righteousness still exists, Prince Wang will not die unjustly. But if righteousness has been lost, what use are bribes?" Thus, he returned to the capital empty-handed.

        Despite his exhaustion from the journey, Geshu Han entered the palace to meet the emperor. Kneeling before Emperor Xuanzong, he pleaded earnestly, offering all his official titles and ranks in exchange for Wang Zhongsi's life.

       Emperor Xuanzong admired Geshu Han's loyalty and appointed him to Wang Zhongsi's position, but refused to pardon Wang Zhongsi. Geshu Han continued his pleas, his impassioned speech moving all the officials present.

        Emperor Xuanzong was somewhat touched and agreed to spare Wang Zhongsi's life, but on one condition: the capture of Shibao City was necessary.

       Unable to disobey the imperial decree, and with saving Wang Zhongsi's life paramount, in June of the eighth year of the Tianbao era (749 AD), Geshu Han had no choice but to lead an army of 100,000 to besiege Shibao City, which the Tibetan Empire had defended with all its might.

　　Shibao

　　City, though named a city, was in reality a military fortress. Despite its small size, its strategic location and treacherous terrain made it highly valued by both the Tang Dynasty and the Tibetan Empire, leading to a protracted and brutal war of attrition.

　　Climbing Shibao City was no easy feat. The mountainside offered almost no passageways, overgrown with thorns and weeds, requiring the use of hands and feet in most places. The path leading to the ridge was so narrow that only one person could pass at a time. The Tibetans built this formidable fortress, nestled against three cliffs and a narrow path, with the aim of controlling Qinglong and the Hehuang region.

　　The Tang army, stationed at the foot of Shibao City, after a detailed survey of the terrain, concluded that Shibao City, surrounded by steep cliffs on three sides, was insurmountable. To achieve victory, the Tang army could only attack via a single mountain path; a direct assault was the only option. Geshu Han launched several attacks, but the Tibetan army's logs and rolling stones resulted in heavy casualties for the Tang forces, and they returned empty-handed.

　　After careful consideration, Geshu Han decided: "Take Shibao City by night raid!"

That

　 night, perhaps the stars in the sky couldn't bear to witness the bloody slaughter between the Tang and Tibetan armies, hiding behind thick clouds. Shibao City was shrouded in darkness. When all was quiet, Geshu Han ordered the attack.

　　At that time, the Tibetan defenders numbered only a few hundred, but they held their ground, using logs and rolling stones to firmly block the only mountain path leading into the city. This small platform became the core of the fierce battle between the Tang and Tibetan soldiers. The Tang army suffered heavy casualties and had to retreat.

　　After a brief rest, the Tang army launched another fierce attack for several days, suffering heavy losses, but still failed to breach the city. By this time, the morale of the Tang generals was low, and countless complaints circulated privately.

　　To reverse this situation and reignite the fighting spirit of the generals, the next day, Geshu Han, wanting to make an example of them, executed the vanguard commanders and deputy generals Gao Xiuyan and Zhang Shouyu. Generals Gao and Zhang requested three more days, stating that if the city could not be captured, they could then execute the enemy.

　　Geshu Han, also desperate, personally urged his troops to advance, declaring, "Anyone who dares to retreat even a step will be executed immediately."

　　Finally, after paying an extremely heavy price, they captured Shibao City. It is said that on the day Shibao City was breached, the entire city was stained red with the blood of the Tang army.

　　The Tang army ultimately captured Shibao City as scheduled, at the cost of tens of thousands of casualties, and captured 400 people, including the Tibetan general Tie Ren Xinuoluo. After the battle, the Tang renamed the city Shenwu Army and stationed troops there. Although

　　Geshu

　　Han's Battle of Shibao City came at a heavy cost, it was of great significance. The Tang Dynasty used this as an opportunity to advance step by step, while Tibet lost its springboard for eastward expansion. From then on, the Tang Dynasty held the advantage on the battlefields of Hexi and Longyou.

　　Today, most of the local people are unaware of the details of this famous historical battle, but they know a little about its brutality. They call Shibao City "Ten Thousand People Terrace" and say there are "ten thousand people pits" at the foot of the mountain.

        The victory at Shibao City saved Wang Zhongsi, who was demoted to Prefect of Hanyang (present-day Hubei). This was the lightest punishment available at the time. It's worth noting that not long before, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang had unhesitatingly killed three of his sons and a son-in-law for the same reason.

        The story of Geshu Han's impassioned attack on Shibao City spread throughout the army, and the soldiers all admired him and were willing to fight for him. Geshu Han became a highly influential general during Emperor Xuanzong's reign.

        To control this region, the Tang and Tibetan empires fought four large-scale battles over 80 years, resulting in over 100,000 casualties on both sides

　　. This led Du Fu to lament, "Have you not seen the headwaters of the Yellow River and Qinghai Lake, where countless white bones lie unburied since ancient times? New ghosts wail in anguish, old ghosts cry out, their voices echoing in the damp, overcast sky." This decisive battle dealt a devastating blow to Tibet. Following this victory, the Tang Dynasty stationed troops west of Riyue Mountain and achieved numerous victories elsewhere, significantly strengthening the defenses of Hexi and Longyou.

       Consequently, the border between the Tang and Tibetan empires extended westward to the area west of Qinghai Lake and the Yellow River bend. The Tang Dynasty achieved a complete victory in its war against Tibet, and the map of the Tang Dynasty underwent a dramatic change.　

　　Geshu

       Han was promoted and ennobled, while Wang Zhongsi was buried in Hubei.

       This prompted Li Bai's satirical lament: "You cannot emulate Geshu, who roamed Qinghai at night with a knife, slaughtering the people of Shicheng to seize the purple robe."

         Because Wang Zhongsi was eliminated, the Tang Dynasty lost a crucial force to restrain An Lushan's regional military governorship. As a result, seven years later, when An Lushan rebelled, the early Tang Dynasty was utterly helpless, suffering a crushing defeat. Meanwhile, the tens of thousands of Tang soldiers buried in Shibao City were mostly veterans from the border regions. Veterans are invaluable; one veteran can be worth ten in a critical moment—a fact known to anyone who has been to the battlefield. Ironically, the Tang Dynasty, despite its desperate efforts to capture Shibao City, failed to secure the Hexi Corridor. With An Lushan's rebellion, the Tang Dynasty recalled its northwestern troops to the Central Plains to quell the uprising. Taking advantage of the situation, the Tibetan Empire seized the Hexi Corridor without bloodshed—the "Shame of Hehuang," a tragedy that has haunted countless people since the mid-Tang Dynasty.

      Tens of thousands of lives were lost, forever resting on the Qinghai Plateau. Amidst the desolate grass, what will people remember? They will remember Wang Zhongsi's tragic fate, Li Bai's biting satire, and the anxious face of Geshu Han. But who remembers that tragedy, the tragedy that led tens of thousands of soldiers to sacrifice their lives for a small stone fortress?

        A line in a war film on television says, "They were a regiment destined to be sacrificed as cannon fodder..."

        But all I remember is Wang Zhongsi's bold statement, a statement that transcends the outcome of the battlefield, passes through the dust of history, yet still resonates powerfully, lonely by the Yaoshui River, accompanying this desolate stone fortress.

        However, General Wang Zhongsi is not a lonely hero, because more than a thousand years later in Korea, on the 38th parallel, an old marshal named Peng Dehuai, facing the furious questioning of Soviet advisors, gave a similar answer: "It's not easy for ordinary people to raise a child; they send me to be a soldier, and I must be responsible for them."

        I believe that in the face of war, only those who are responsible for their lives can earn the war's eternal respect.

　　(

　　                III)

　    Anyone who has ever herded livestock knows that herders often "move" according to the different seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, that is, they move.

       According to the elders' legend, a herdsman named Gongbao once drove his herd of yaks through this area. Seeing a clear, plentiful river flowing through Moduoji Village, and the exceptionally lush grasslands surrounding it, he pitched his tent at the foot of Shibaocheng Mountain, intending to settle there permanently and claim the land as his pasture.

       However, strange things happened that Gongbao couldn't understand. From the day he pitched his tent, his herd of cattle all knelt beside a large pit at the foot of Shibaocheng Mountain, howling and refusing to eat or drink.

       At the same time, countless crows circled overhead. Their hoarse cawing, combined with the yaks' howling, was deafening and resounding. Gongbao, who had traveled extensively with his herd and seen many things, had never witnessed anything like this before.

       Upon discovering this, Gongbao tried to drive the cattle away, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move them. Moreover, the cattle's bellowing grew increasingly terrifying.

        "Are these cattle possessed?" Gongbao thought, growing more and more frightened. He had no choice but to ride his horse to Dongke Temple and beg the "Aka" (monks) there to chant sutras to exorcise the evil spirits from his cattle.

       The temple immediately sent eight "Aka" to accompany Gongbao to the foot of the stone fortress. They set up tents and chanted sutras for forty-nine days. The hoarse cries of crows disappeared from the sky; they all flew away. On the ground, the cattle stopped bellowing and, dragging their weak bodies, slowly turned around to graze and drink.

       After several days of grazing, the cattle had largely recovered their strength. Following the "Aka's" instructions, Gongbao immediately tied numerous white hadas (ceremonial scarves) to the heads and necks of two white yaks and released them (leaving the two white yaks near the large pit). That same day, he led all the remaining cattle away from Moduoji Village. As for where Gongbao and his herd of cattle came from and where they went, no one knew.

       Later, people learned about this from the "Aka" of Dongke Temple and realized that there was a "mass grave" in Moduoji under the stone fortress, suspected to be the burial pit for the dead soldiers during the war. It is said that for a long time afterward, not only people, but even birds would not fly over that place, and even wild animals and cattle would not approach it. Therefore, people dared not build houses there for a long time, until the Qing Dynasty when people began to live there.

       Hacheng Village in Riyue Township has been a strategic location since ancient times, serving as the dividing line between the Tang Dynasty and the Tubo and Haixi Mongolian tribes, and an important military stronghold on the border. The stone fortress of Moduoji and the beacon towers of Tuertai and Riyue Mountain served as observation posts for Hacheng. They complemented each other and shared the heavy responsibility of defense.

　　For more than ten years in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, apart from three families living in Moduoji, the other places were uninhabited.

       Although people had settled in Moduoji since the Daoguang and Xianfeng periods of the Qing Dynasty, for a long time only the Zong, Xiang, and Tan families lived there, hence the area was called Sanxingzhuang (Three-Surname Village).

　　It is estimated that by the end of the Qing Dynasty (1911), there were no more than ten households. These isolated outlying villages were indeed vulnerable to attacks, robberies, and bullying under the conditions of the time. In the past, whenever these villages encountered any trouble, they would run to Hacheng for help, and each time the elders of Hacheng would immediately organize villagers to rush to their aid.

　　This situation was not uncommon until a few years before liberation. More than a decade before liberation, all levies imposed on these surrounding villages were included in Hacheng's system and arranged by Hacheng. At that time, the elders said that Hacheng had never deceived the neighboring villages. Therefore, in the past, the elders and leaders of Hacheng were regarded as their own village leaders by the people of the neighboring villages, who would send gifts during festivals and visit them. Each village attached great importance to them. Despite its small population, the ancient settlement of Moduoji in

　　Sanxingzhuang

         was connected to Hacheng. There are two existing ancient brick kiln sites in Modoji. The first is the collapsed pit at the mouth of Yeshigou, an extremely ancient site. Although the original several kiln sites have been excavated and no longer exist, a kiln roof remains, clearly visible. If archaeologists pay attention, determining the firing date (whether the broken bricks and tiles of Mingfangtai and the old city are related to this) would be even more significant.

　　The other site is a tile kiln site near the village entrance. Now, due to soil extraction and road construction, everything no longer exists; it's just called a tile kiln. This was a late Qing Dynasty tile kiln, with its last firing in the mid-Guangxu period, the final stage of the temple restoration in Hacheng. According to elders, it was fired by kiln workers from Hezhou, and all the bricks and tiles used in Hacheng's temples were fired here. Later, before leaving, the Hezhou craftsmen gave each household in Modoji a pair of tile lions as a memento (exactly the same as the tile lions on the roof ridges of Hacheng's temples). These were placed above the doors or eaves of the original inhabitants' houses, said to protect their homes.

　　Praying for peace is merely a wish and a form of self-comfort; in the event of natural disasters or war, everything will be reduced to nothing.

　　Now, the flames of war have subsided, and the country is peaceful and prosperous. Standing atop the ruins of Shibao City, one can overlook the magnificent scenery below, with Riyue Mountain visible in the distance. The southeastern city of Hacheng and the village of Moduoji at the foot of the mountain present a new and vibrant scene, inspiring awe and contemplation. References:

* *The Throat of Tibet: Dangar* by Li Guoquan and Hai Jie; * *Memories of Time* edited by Ren Yugui; * *Traces*, Huangyuan County Historical and Cultural Materials, Volume 11 , edited and published by the Huangyuan CPPCC . (             Behind the mountain of Shibao City) (The mountain spring north of Shibao City flows into the Yaoshui River) (      Looking south from Shibao City towards Riyue Mountain )