Yuhuangshan Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery

Yuhuangshan Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery

Yuhuangshan Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery serves as a patriotic education base.

Yuhuangshan Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery, located within Yuhuangshan Park in Tonghua City, was established in 1949. The cemetery consists of monuments, tombs, and pathways, forming an expansive yet exquisite architectural complex. It is the final resting place of nine martyrs, including Wang Fengge, a national hero in the resistance against Japan, and Lü Lin, former deputy director of the logistics department of the Liaodong Military District.

Wang Fengge, a national hero in the anti-Japanese resistance, actively promoted resistance efforts in Tonghua, Jilin (now Ji’an City, Jilin Province), and Linjiang after the September 18th Incident in 1931. In early 1932, he gathered a force of about ten thousand men in the mountainous area east of Tonghua and was elected commander, launching armed resistance against the Japanese. Soon after, his troops were organized into the 19th Route Army of the Liaoning People's Anti-Japanese Self-Defense Forces, with Wang serving as commander. He led his troops in strikes against the enemy along the Jin River, Huinan, Liuhe, Panshi, and the Jihai Railway. In the winter of 1932, the self-defense forces suffered defeat under a major enemy offensive, and the remaining troops retreated to... In February 1933, Wang Fengge moved to the Hongtuya and Daluoquan areas, organizing the construction of multiple fortifications and setting up logistical support departments. Over the next six years, using this area as a base, he coordinated with the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces led by Yang Jingyu, engaging in hundreds of battles of varying scales. Among the most famous were the surprise attack on the Sanfen Outpost at Dongjiangyan in Tonghua, the assault on Ermu Di in Jinchang, the successful defense at Guosongchuan against an empty fort, the victory at Shidao Gully, the encirclement battle at Qidao Gully, and the ambush at Chagou in Ji’an—all of which dealt heavy blows to the Japanese puppet forces. In April 1934, he ambushed enemies at Qishierdaohezi within Linjiang, ending the battle in just a few dozen minutes and capturing hundreds of weapons. Later that autumn, he annihilated a puppet army unit at Damiaogou, seizing over 80 rifles and more than 5,000 rounds of ammunition. Despite repeated “pacification” campaigns by the enemy, they once arrested Wang’s mother-in-law and entire family, forcing them to write letters urging his surrender. After reading the letter, Wang tore it to shreds and declared, “Even if you capture my mother and wife, it will not shake my resolve to resist Japan. Any relative or friend of mine who sympathizes with my fight against the Japanese is my kin; anyone who collaborates with the Japanese as a traitor will be killed!”

In the spring of 1937, the enemy deployed heavy forces to surround his troops at Laohudingzi, where the borders of Tonghua, Linjiang, and Ji’an meet. After suffering severe losses in fierce fighting, they hastily retreated to Daluoquan. On February 25 of the same year, after a day-and-night bloody battle at Southeast Fork, Wang suffered a fractured left arm and serious leg injuries, with most of his soldiers killed. Eventually, he was captured and taken to the Tonghua County prison. The enemy used both coercion and inducement in an attempt to force him to “surrender,” but each time he responded with a harsh rebuke: “You dogs, every time you enter the mountains, you carry human heads in sacks, slaughtering how many anti-Japanese compatriots. Remember, my death means nothing, but you traitors are the scum of the nation and will meet no good end!” His wife and four-year-old son, Xiao Jinzi, were also imprisoned with him. The enemy tried to tempt the child with biscuits and candy, but the boy showed great courage and shouted, “I won’t eat the Japanese devils’ food!” On April 1, 1937, the enemy loaded him onto a truck and took him to Liutiaogou execution ground at the foot of Yuhuangshan in Tonghua. Along the way, he shouted loudly to the onlookers: “Fellow countrymen, I, Wang Fengge, die for the anti-Japanese resistance—a hero’s death is fitting. Everyone, keep fighting—China will not fall, down with Japanese imperialism, and eliminate the puppet Manchukuo!” The executioner beheaded him, and the scene was extremely tragic. His wife and young son were also killed.

In October 1994, the Tonghua Municipal Government designated it as a Tonghua Municipal Patriotic Education Base, receiving people from all walks of life each year for memorial activities. In 2009, the Tonghua Municipal Government invested 600,000 yuan to renovate and upgrade the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery. After the renovation, the cemetery has become a silent attraction within Yuhuangshan Park.

Source: Dongchang District Party School of Tonghua City