Qitamu Martyrs' Cemetery

Qitamu Martyrs' Cemetery

Qitamu Martyrs' Cemetery serves as a patriotic education base.

Qitamu Martyrs' Cemetery, located one kilometer southwest of Qitamu in Jiutai City, Jilin Province, on Nanling, was built with donations totaling 1.1 million yuan from the people of Jiutai City. The foundation was laid and construction began on August 1, 2001, and it was completed on September 26, 2002. The cemetery covers an area of 9,600 square meters, measuring 120 meters from north to south and 80 meters from east to west, surrounded by wrought-iron fencing. The structures in the cemetery are made of reinforced steel, cement, and granite. The front gate and the rear memorial wall are inscribed with the words “Qitamu Martyrs' Cemetery” and “Patriotic Education Base,” personally handwritten by Wang Yunkun, then Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee. Behind the memorial wall is an 180-square-meter flower bed, flanked by 2,000 square meters of lawn. Flowers and greenery blend seamlessly. The cemetery is planted with 201 pine trees, symbolizing the 201 soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the Qitamu Battle, standing evergreen like pines for all eternity.

Qitamu Martyrs' Cemetery consists of the Martyrs' Monument, the Patriotic Education Hall, and the “Three Down the River” Campaign Memorial Hall. The Martyrs' Monument faces east and stands 19.47 meters tall, symbolizing the year 1947 when the Northeast Democratic Allied Forces fought against the Kuomintang army in Qitamu, Zhangmazigou, and Jiaojialing. The front of the monument is inscribed with eight golden characters written by Comrade Mao Zedong: “Eternal Glory to the Revolutionary Martyrs.” The base of the monument is engraved with inscriptions including “Overview of the ‘Three Down the River’ Campaign,” “The Battle of Qitamu,” “The Ambush at Zhangmazigou,” and “The Encirclement Battle at Jiaojialing,” detailing the battles fought by the Northeast Democratic Allied Forces against the Kuomintang within Jiutai’s borders during the “Three Down the River” Campaign. Inside the base of the monument is a camphor wood coffin holding the remains of over ten martyrs. The surrounding fence is made of grayish-white marble, inlaid with 25 bas-reliefs depicting scenes such as “Pre-Battle Mobilization,” “Bivouacking in the Snow,” “Five Days of Fierce Fighting,” “People Supporting the Front,” and “Celebrating Victory,” vividly recreating the battle scenes of that time. To the north of the main gate is the Patriotic Education Hall, whose name was inscribed by Gu Changchun, former Deputy Director of the Provincial People’s Congress. The hall is divided into three volumes and ten chapters, showcasing the glorious journey of the Chinese people from the democratic revolution period to the socialist construction period under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, as well as the remarkable achievements made in the past five years. To the south of the main gate is the “Three Down the River” Campaign Memorial Hall, whose name was inscribed by Zhang Fengqi, former County Party Secretary of Jiutai and Director of the Provincial Advisory Committee. The hall displays important military activities of the Northeast Democratic Allied Forces within Jiutai during the “Three Down the River” Campaign in 1947, exhibiting items and photos used by soldiers at the time. It also features inscriptions by national and provincial leaders, veteran comrades who worked in Jiutai, and highlights of the activities from the groundbreaking, construction, to the completion celebration of the cemetery. Inside the hall, there is a 38-inch color TV, equipped with DVDs of one hundred major patriotic education bases across the country, which can be played for visitors at any time. Behind the two memorial halls are inscribed eight large red characters, each 80 centimeters tall: “Carry Forward the Patriotic Spirit of the Martyrs” and “Achieve the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation.”

Qitamu Martyrs' Cemetery serves not only as a site to mourn and honor the martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the “Three Down the River” Campaign in the Liberation War but also as a patriotic education base for the general public, especially the youth. It aims to cultivate and educate the next generation not to forget the past, to strive for strength, and to work towards the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Qitamu Town: I. Overview of Qitamu Town

Qitamu Town in Jiutai City is located 50 kilometers northeast of Jiutai City and 60 kilometers northwest of Jilin City. To the east, it faces Shulan City across the river, 40 kilometers away, making it a junction of three cities (counties). By land, it connects westward via Jiutai-Qitamu Highway, which links to the Jichang Expressway, the northern section of the Jichang Highway, and Changchun International Airport; to the north, it connects via Qitamu-Shang Highway leading directly to National Highway 102; and to the south, it has the Jiutai-Qitamu Highway leading directly down to Jilin City. By water, crossing the Songhua River leads east to Shulan City, and via the Songhua River waterway, it connects upward to Jilin City and downward to Harbin, offering convenient transportation... More detailed information about Qitamu Town++