Yunshan village in Guizhou province's Anshun is a well-preserved military outpost that attracts tourists and young artists with its unique architecture and local customs.  XU LIN/CHINA DAILY/YUAN QINSHU/FOR CHINA DAILY

The Yunfeng Tunpu Culture Tourism Area is an ancient military outpost that today attracts armies of tourists.

Nearly 540,000 travelers visited the cluster of eight ancient tunpu villages about 20 kilometers outside of Guizhou province's Anshun city in 2016. Tunpu were military outposts where soldiers guarded the region and cultivated the land.

Each of the villages nestled inside a stone wall has watchtowers. The settlements were designed to not only ward off attacks individually but also to support one another in times of need.

The first Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) emperor Zhu Yuanzhang defeated the last Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) troops in today's Yunnan province to unify the country. He then stationed a huge force in Anshun－a strategic military position－to ensure regional peace. The garrison grew grain and also engaged in trade.