Home : China Guide : Guizhou : Story of Yelang Kingdom

Yelang was an ethnic tribe that made its home on the Yunnan and Guizhou Plateau. Its sudden demise around 26 B.C. remains a mystery to historians. But many ancient historians, including Sima Qian and Ban Gu, recorded the Yelang way of life. From their books, we know that the Yelang people practiced witchcraft, had strange hairstyles, and were an agricultural society with fierce warriors. Further studies show that the kingdom was actually composed of several ethnic tribes from southwestern Guizhou and the neighboring provinces of Sichuan, Hunan and Yunnan.

It's thought that the ancient capital of Yelang was located in today's Maokou Tounship in Lupanshui. Many curious tourists visit Maokou to discover the stories of its past. According to one, when the Yelang chief was selecting his capital he looked for a place with 100 peaks. He climbed nearby Jiuceng Mountain, and counted only 99, failing to include the peak he was standing on. So the disappointed chief went to Maokou, and set up his base there.

The decision turned out to be a good one. The Lang and Dai mountains flank the Datie Pass, which is the only way in to Maokou. They served as natural, impregnable fortifications, and helped to keep the peace within the foggy mountain ranges.

Lang Mountain is also known as the Old King Mountain. According to local legend, the Yelang King Duotong strolled out of the city one night and caught sight of a mystical crescent-shaped cave in Lang Mountain. The king was so awestruck by the cave that he wanted it as his final resting place. From then on, the locals called it the Old King Mountain, and the burial site became known as the Moon Cave.

Sitting on the northern bank of the Beipan River, this 2,127 meters high mountain is largely unexplored, other than by sure-footed mountain goats confident on its rugged terrain. Moon Cave on its eastern slope is perennially shrouded in clouds and mist. Legends say that it was the treasure house of ancient kings.

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