Guan Xiangying's Former Residence (Memorial Hall)

Guan Xiangying's Former Residence (Memorial Hall)

Guan Xiangying's Former Residence (Memorial Hall) is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, a cultural relic protection unit of Liaoning Province, a classic red tourism site, a patriotic education base, and a national defense education base.

The Guan Xiangying Memorial Hall is situated at Guan Xiangying’s former residence—Guanjia Village, Xiangying Town, Jinzhou District, Dalian City. It was first built in 1986 by the then Jin County People’s Government. In July 1989, Wang Zhen, former Vice President of China, inscribed the name of the memorial hall. In 2002, on the 100th anniversary of Guan Xiangying’s birth, a new hall was rebuilt, further expanded in 2006, and reopened on September 10, 2007. Covering a total area of 60,000 square meters, it mainly includes the ruins of Guan Xiangying’s former residence (two thatched cottages and a farmhouse courtyard), the memorial hall, a square, and green spaces. The memorial hall displays a large number of precious historical materials and artifacts, vividly depicting Comrade Guan Xiangying’s glorious life.

Comrade Guan Xiangying was an outstanding proletarian revolutionary of the older generation in China, an eminent communist fighter, and one of the Party and the army’s early distinguished organizers and leaders. His original name was Guan Zhixiang, and he was born into an ordinary Manchu farming family on September 10, 1902. He joined the Chinese Socialist Youth League in Dalian in 1924 and the Communist Party of China while studying in the Soviet Union in 1925. In 1927, he worked successively for the Henan Provincial Committee of the CPC and the Organization Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League. In 1928, he was elected as a member of the Central Committee and an alternate member of the Political Bureau at the 6th National Congress of the CPC, serving as the Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League. In 1930, he joined the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army and later worked with the Central Military Commission of the CPC and the Yangtze River Bureau. In 1932, he established the Western Hunan–Hubei Revolutionary Base, serving as a member of the Central Sub-Bureau of Western Hunan–Hubei, Chairman of the Military Commission Sub-Committee, and Political Commissar of the Third Red Army. In October 1934, he became the Deputy Political Commissar of the Second Red Army Corps. In the winter of 1936, he served as Political Commissar of the Second Front Army and a member of the Central Revolutionary Military Commission. He passed away from illness in Yan’an on July 21, 1946. Comrade Guan Xiangying was an outstanding proletarian revolutionary, a loyal revolutionary fighter, and an eminent leader of our Party and army, as well as a key figure in China’s labor and youth movements. Comrade Mao Zedong once wrote an inscription for him: “Loyal and devoted to the Party and the nation—the spirit of Comrade Xiangying lives on.”

The first section is Guan Xiangying’s former residence, a low stone-built thatched cottage where he was born on September 10, 1902. Here grows a large scholar tree he planted in his youth and an old stone mill passed down through generations. In the western room, a small table sits atop a kang bed, with an oil lamp on it—the room where Comrade Guan Xiangying lived and studied as a child. The eastern room was the living quarters of his parents. In the courtyard, an old stone mill for grinding grain stands by the window on the east side. The residence is enclosed by a stone wall, and outside the south gate tower, to the east, stands a Chinese scholar tree planted by his father. Behind the residence is a newly built exhibition hall dedicated to Comrade Guan Xiangying’s revolutionary deeds, in front of which stands a bust statue of him.

The second section is the Guan Xiangying Memorial Hall, where a bust statue of him stands in the courtyard. Behind the statue are rows of neat exhibition halls divided into three exhibit rooms and ten sections, introducing Comrade Guan Xiangying’s revolutionary life in detail through a wealth of artifacts and precious photographs.

The third section is the video hall, which shows visitors documentaries such as “The Life and Deeds of Guan Xiangying,” the “Memorial Service Video,” and footage of visits by Party and state leaders. Guan Xiangying’s former residence was designated as a provincial cultural relic protection unit in 1988 and was among the first batch of “Patriotic Education Bases in Dalian” named by the Dalian Municipal People’s Government.

In 2002 and 2007, the Guan Xiangying Memorial Hall underwent two expansions.

Over the years, to fulfill its tripartite mission—the political project (“Pay homage to a sacred place, purify the soul”), the cultural project (“Unearth a value, forge a spirit”), and the economic project (“Develop a land of red history, enrich the local people”)—the Guan Xiangying Memorial Hall has continuously improved its facilities and enriched its content, enhancing its influence and emotional impact. Especially during the construction of the new hall, it fully utilized new technologies and methods provided by modern scientific development, actively expanded exhibit content, innovated display methods, and strengthened research in every aspect such as form design, artifact production, and exhibit arrangement. Drawing on advanced exhibition approaches from both home and abroad, it employed various forms of presentation including artifacts, photos, models, and multiple technological means such as sound, light, and electricity, achieving an organic unity of ideological depth, artistic quality, and visual appeal. In terms of content, it has consistently upheld patriotism as its core, vigorously promoting the revolutionary spirit and noble character of Comrade Guan Xiangying. It highlights his unwavering loyalty to the Party and the people both in the White Areas and the Soviet Areas, on the Long March and the battlefields of the War of Resistance, his strong Party principles, clear political vision, firm proletarian stance, exceptional political work skills, solid work style, openness and self-criticism, simplicity and integrity, love for the people and close bond with soldiers, as well as his indomitable will and perseverance in fighting until his last breath.

In management, it has continually optimized its structure and improved staff quality, selecting and training personnel strictly based on criteria of strong political conviction, professional excellence, and upright conduct. It has enhanced ideological, stylistic, and professional training, gradually improved regulations, and ensured the memorial hall operates in a standardized manner with high-quality services.

The Guan Xiangying Memorial Hall has always prioritized social benefits, actively creating a “green channel” for young people to visit and learn. On major historical anniversaries, the birth and death days of Comrade Guan Xiangying, ceremonies or activities themed on promoting the Spirit of Xiangying are held. During holidays such as Labor Day, Children’s Day, Party Founding Day, and Army Day, as well as National Defense Education Day, the memorial offers preferential services and support for various groups to carry out activities. Many party and government organs, enterprises, public institutions, and schools hold admission, Young Pioneers, Communist Youth League, Party membership initiation, or coming-of-age oath ceremonies here. Tens of thousands of visitors from all walks of life come to study and tour every year, with cumulative visitors now exceeding 1 million. The site also extensively promotes itself through radio, television, literature, the internet, and other media. Party and state leaders such as Wang Zhen, Liao Hansheng, Cheng Zihua, and others have visited and offered guidance at the memorial hall on multiple occasions.

The Guan Xiangying Memorial Hall was approved as a provincial cultural relic protection unit by the provincial government in 1989, named a “Patriotic Education Demonstration Base of Liaoning Province” by the Publicity Department of the Provincial Party Committee and other departments in July 1997, and designated a “National Patriotic Education Demonstration Base” by the Central Propaganda Department in 2001. In April 2004, it was named a “Patriotic Defense Education Base of Liaoning Province” by the Provincial National Defense Education Committee, and re-designated in April 2007 by the provincial government. It has also served as a patriotic education base for military units and schools such as the Shenyang Military Region Comprehensive Training Base and the Air Force Communication Non-Commissioned Officer School. In 2005, it was included among the first 100 classic red tourism scenic spots in China.

Guan Xiangying (1902–1946), originally named Guan Zhixiang, of Manchu ethnicity and the Guwalgiya clan, was born on September 10, 1902, in Daguanjiatun, Jinzhou District, Dalian City, Liaoning Province.

In 1912, Guan Xiangying attended a private school in the village, and a year later entered the Liangjiadian Common School. In the spring of 1918, he was admitted to the Pulandian Public School but had to board due to the distance from home. On Sundays, while other students went home, he stayed behind copying books and textbooks, reproducing two collections of model letters: Qiushuixuan and Xuehongxuan. More details about Guan Xiangying++

Guanjia Village: Guanjia Village... More details about Guanjia Village++

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Liaoning Province