Site of the Northeast Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Meeting in Meihekou

Site of the Northeast Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Meeting in Meihekou

The Site of the Northeast Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Meeting in Meihekou is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a classic red tourism attraction.

The Site of the Northeast Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Meeting in Meihekou is located within the compound of the Railway Operation Section on Heping Street, Meihekou City. Built in 1936, it is a two-story Japanese-style building constructed with red bricks and red tiles. In 1987, it was designated as a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit and underwent renovation. The building is 101 meters long from east to west and 8 meters wide from north to south, with a total area of 1,622 square meters. The exhibition rooms are located on the second floor, covering about 38 square meters. The exhibition is divided into four sections: the Meeting Site, Strategic Relocation, Great Turning Point, and Remembering History. The total site area covers approximately 5,500 square meters. The building’s exterior facade, roof ridges, awnings, and window headers all exhibit distinctive features of Japanese architectural style.

After the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan, in early 1946, the Kuomintang forces assembled large numbers of troops and launched a full-scale offensive against the liberated areas in the northeast. Facing the situation of being outnumbered, in order to preserve strength, better annihilate the enemy, and achieve strategic objectives as soon as possible to liberate the entire country, the Party Central Committee and Chairman Mao issued the directive “Establish a Consolidated Base in the Northeast.”

On March 6, 1946, the expanded meeting of the Northeast Bureau of the CPC Central Committee opened in Fushun. The meeting was presided over by Peng Zhen, Secretary of the Northeast Bureau, and its task was to study the situation in the northeast region and formulate strategic deployments there. Soon after the meeting began, due to the Kuomintang army’s attack on Fushun, the meeting was moved to Meihekou to continue. Although the Northeast Bureau’s stay in Meihekou was brief, it played an extremely important role in the development of the situation in the northeast and represented the most critical period in shaping the region’s future.

In March 1946, the main forces of the Northeast Democratic Allied Army had withdrawn to the areas around Meihekou and Siping. From March 13 to April 21, the Northeast Bureau held a series of important meetings in Meihekou (historically referred to as the “Northeast Bureau Meihekou Meetings”) to discuss the situation in the northeast and military strategies. These meetings further implemented the strategic guideline set forth by Chairman Mao and the Central Military Commission to “first take Changchun, then Siping.” The Central Committee decided to launch a comprehensive offensive against the Kuomintang. Each meeting during the Northeast Bureau’s time in Meihekou was chaired by Peng Zhen, with key leaders such as Gao Gang, Zhang Wentian, Li Fuchun, Wu Xiuquan, Chen Zhengren, Zhou Huan, Lü Zhengcao, Lin Feng, Xiao Hua, Luo Ronghuan, and Deng Hua in attendance. The meetings analyzed the military situation in the northeast, implemented the strategic guideline of the major campaign in the northeast proposed by Chairman Mao and the Central Military Commission, and meticulously planned the next steps of the military campaign.

Following the Meihekou Meeting, the Northeast Democratic Allied Army launched an offensive in the western part of the northeast, buying time to establish a broad rural base across the region.

The Meihekou Meeting marked the beginning of the contest between the Communist Party and the Kuomintang for control of the northeast and holds profound historical significance for the liberation of the northeast and the establishment of a consolidated base there.

On May 2, 1947, the Fourth Column of the Northeast Democratic Allied Army liberated Meihekou for the second time. This building became the office of the Meihekou Regional Work Committee of the Tonghua Railway Sub-Bureau of the CPC, commonly referred to as the “Mei Railway Party Committee Building.”

On July 28, 1984, Comrade Peng Zhen, then Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, visited the former site of the Meihekou Meeting accompanied by Qiang Xiaochu, First Secretary of the Jilin Provincial Party Committee, and other provincial, regional, and county party and government leaders. He personally inscribed the words “Site of the Northeast Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Meeting in Meihekou” and took a commemorative photo.

In 1987, this site was listed as a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit; in 1993, it was approved by the Jilin Provincial Committee of the CPC and the municipal government as a patriotic education base; in 2005, during the “Campaign to Maintain the Advanced Nature of Communist Party Members,” it was designated as a Party history education base by the Meihekou Municipal Committee of the CPC. It receives nearly 10,000 visitors annually.

On October 7, 2019, the Site of the Northeast Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Meeting in Meihekou was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units