Former Site of the Pseudo-Manchukuo Founding Martyrs' Shrine

Former Site of the Pseudo-Manchukuo Founding Martyrs' Shrine

The Former Site of the Pseudo-Manchukuo Founding Martyrs' Shrine is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

In 1935, the "State Council" of the puppet Manchukuo proposed building the "Protectorate Martyrs' Shrine" on Huanxiling, east of Huanglong Park (now Nanhu Park) in the southern suburbs of Changchun, with the purpose of enshrining and appeasing spirits. This location was chosen because when Japanese forces attacked Beidaying at Nanshan in southern Changchun, they encountered fierce resistance from Chinese troops, and more than 40 Japanese officers and soldiers were killed here. After 1932, the Japanese Kwantung Army and the puppet Manchukuo authorities referred to this place as a "sacred domain" and commemorated it.

In 1936, Zhang Jinghui, the puppet State Premier, held a "shovel-starting ceremony" to officially begin construction. On August 20 of that year, the "Protectorate Martyrs' Shrine" was renamed the "Founding Martyrs' Shrine."

The orientation of the shrine was changed from facing north along Datong Avenue (now Renmin Avenue) to facing the Ise Grand Shrine, a sacred site of Shinto in Japan, and Tokyo, the capital of Japan.

During the construction, the Japanese and puppet authorities organized over 140,000 youths for "labor service," contributing voluntary work. The project was completed on August 22, 1940. The entire site covers an area of 456,000 square meters and is divided into three main parts: the approach path, outer courtyard, and inner courtyard, along with some auxiliary buildings. The shrine enshrined "spirit pillars" (memorial tablets) of Japanese soldiers and officers who died in service, as well as civilian and military officials of the puppet Manchukuo. Among the so-called enshrined figures were Japanese individuals and some under puppet Manchukuo such as Zheng Xiaoxu, though those from the puppet regime made up only one-sixth of the total.

On September 17, 1941, the Japanese and puppet authorities held the first "Autumn Grand Ceremony." Puyi led puppet Manchukuo officials, Kwantung Army leaders, and tens of thousands of people from all walks of life in the "First Combined Enshrinement Ceremony." Thereafter, puppet Manchukuo youths and students were required to bow in homage daily, paying respects to the capital Xinjing, the Emperor, the "Founding Martyrs' Shrine," and praying from afar for the "soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country." Finally, they would turn eastward to worship the "Emperor of Japan" as a gesture toward the people of the Northeast.

What is the difference between the Pseudo-Manchukuo Founding Martyrs' Shrine and Japanese shrines? Shrines are operated by the Japanese and enshrine the deities of Shinto, belonging to the category of Japanese Shintoism. The "Founding Martyrs' Shrine," on the other hand, enshrines Amaterasu, regarded as the founding deity of the puppet Manchukuo, making it a "national shrine."

The Japanese and puppet rulers treated the "Founding Martyrs' Shrine" as the "state shrine" of the puppet Manchukuo and as a "subsidiary shrine" to the pseudo national shrine.

On October 7, 2019, the Former Site of the Pseudo-Manchukuo Founding Martyrs' Shrine was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

It is currently used by the Air Force Aviation University and is a Provincial-Level Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Source: Changchun Tourism Bureau

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units