Although some of the forts date back to the Qin dynasty, they have been used as late as the Sino-Japanese war. During the Dungan Revolt, villagers sought refuge from the raiding and fighting in these forts, and new forts were even constructed with the same methods. As of now, most of the forts lie abandoned, partly due to the difficulty of reaching the hilltops. The courtyards of some forts have filled by farmhouses or Taoist temples.