Malan Village

Malan Village

Malan, also known as Malan, got its name from being a horse-grazing area during the Ming Dynasty. The village is just 4 kilometers north of Zhaitang Town Government. The turbulent years of the War of Resistance left indelible achievements in this small village, earning it the revered title of “Red Village of Western Beijing.”

On November 7, 1937, the Party Central Committee decided to establish the Jirecha Military District. In February 1938, General Xiao Ke set up the Jirecha Advance Column in Zhaitang, which included the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th Regiments, along with over a dozen anti-Japanese guerrilla units. These forces were active in Jirecha resisting the Japanese invaders and made tremendous contributions to the anti-Japanese struggle in North China. In October 1939, the Advance Column Headquarters, along with affiliated departments such as the uniform factory, gun repair workshop, and medical station, moved into Malan Village. The villagers enthusiastically joined the army, and at one point, the 7th Regiment of the Advance Column even had a “Malan Platoon”—with all soldiers hailing from Malan Village.

In 1997, the villagers of Malan collectively donated funds to renovate the former headquarters building of the Jirecha Advance Column and contributed revolutionary relics they had cherished for years. On July 7, 1997, General Xiao Ke, then 89 years old and former commander of the Jirecha Advance Column, returned to Malan Village to officiate the opening ceremony of the Jirecha Advance Column Headquarters Memorial by cutting the ribbon. Thus, the first village-level war memorial museum in China was established.

The original Jirecha Advance Column Headquarters was located in a two-courtyard, south-facing Siheyuan built in the early Republic of China era during Malan Village’s early days. The buildings featured finely jointed bricks at the corners, with the main gate situated in the southeast corner of the courtyard and an exquisitely carved screen wall along the wall. A plaque inscribed with “Headquarters of the Jirecha Advance Column,” personally handwritten by General Xiao Ke, was prominently hung above the entrance of the former headquarters, welcoming visitors from all directions.

The residence of Commander Xiao Ke in Malan Village, House No. 91, had a northern exposure and was paved with square bricks. The street entrance was located at the northeast corner, with a five-step staircase, and the gate towers were flanked by beautifully carved corner pillars depicting the “Four Arts” — qin (zither), qi (chess), shu (calligraphy), and hua (painting). The wooden doors were framed with studded bolts. The house had a flush-gable roof covered with rounded tiles and a ridged roof with decorative strips. Inside, items such as an eight-immortal table, a grand chair, filing cabinets, a bronze washbasin, and an oil lamp were all used by General Xiao Ke himself.

The former site of the 10th Regiment Headquarters of the Advance Column was located at House No. 48 in Malan Village. This was a three-courtyard Siheyuan facing south, with the main gate situated in the southeast corner of the compound. Across the street was an ornately carved screen wall. The architecture was refined, serving as the office of Bai Yihua, commander of the 10th Regiment of the Advance Column... Yet, the charm that the Red Village of Western Beijing showcases is multifaceted. Alongside its red-themed heritage, the village also boasts ancient and picturesque mountain landscapes, as well as quaint and poetic village streets...

The Shuihu Port Natural Scenic Area to the south of Malan Village features an expanse of green stretching over seven li. The mountains along the road alternate between rugged and gentle slopes, covered in lush forests and dense vegetation. Springs, streams, ponds, and lakes flow with clear, murmuring waters.

The ancient Malan Path is unique—not for trade nor military strategy, but solely for pilgrims ascending the mountain to worship. The path has long been imbued with the piety of generations who came to pray and seek blessings. As recorded in citations from the “Old Accounts of the Capital,” the route from Malan Village to Baihua Mountain is lined with clusters of pines and rocks, steep green peaks, and sacred sites such as Thousand Buddha Mountain, Guanyin Mountain’s Great Mercy Cliff, Immortal Bridge, Bodhisattva Tree, Sea-Viewing Rock, and Pigeon Mountain... Along the way are various Buddhist temples and nunneries, including Longwang Guanyin Temple, Guangshan Chan Temple, Fachuang Nunnery, and Miaonian Nunnery.

The Grand Hall of Longwang Guanyin Chan Temple is a Buddhist structure originally built during the Yuan Dynasty, located in the heart of Malan Village. It was originally built against the mountain, with a mountain gate leading up dozens of steps to the main hall at the highest point, flanked by side halls. The only remaining main hall exhibits five notable architectural features: the roof ridge decorations are made of grey pottery, while the ridgeline itself consists of yellow and green glazed components adorned with patterns of dragons, phoenixes, flowers, and Buddhist motifs. The mixed use of grey pottery and glazed tiles is the first feature; the second is the rare design of a dragon sucking water carved on the beam’s corner brackets; the third is the animal-head design on the beam ends of the tiered brackets, contrasted with ruyi (scepter) motifs on the corner and column brackets, complemented by carved wave patterns on the auxiliary brackets—showcasing innovative design; the fourth is the absence of brackets on the rear eaves, replaced with ruyi-patterned wooden supports for the purlins and beams, offering both economy and utility; the fifth is the elegant ink paintings on the wooden components and exquisite murals on the interior walls, reflecting simplicity and refinement. The use of brackets and glazed tiles indicates that this temple hall follows a relatively high architectural style and grade, making it a rare and exceptional example of ancient architecture.

The Malan Stage stands opposite the Grand Hall of Longwang Guanyin Chan Temple. Built during the Qing Dynasty, it faces south, spans three bays, is 8 meters deep, and features a flush-gable, rolled-canopy roof with polychrome paintings in the Xuanzi style. A partition divides the front and back stages, and it is built atop a 1.4-meter-high platform. Countless emotions, moments of joy, reflection, and inspiration have graced this stage…

There are also the breathtaking Laolongwo Scenic Area and Liujia Gully Scenic Area, as well as two well-preserved pedestrian overpasses, over a dozen Siheyuan compounds, historic residences, ancient stone carvings that resemble outdoor history books, intriguing ancient bridges and gates with a hint of Hunan-Chu flavor, ancient trees, and old wells... All are cloaked in the dust of time, bearing the weight of history, and now embedded in the smiles of today’s Malan residents as they appreciate nature and celebrate their hometown.

Malan Village: Located 83 kilometers south of National Highway 109, the village covers an area of 13.68 square kilometers. It stretches 1,000 meters from north to south and 200 meters from east to west, with a village area of 19,277.5 mu, including 652 mu of arable land.

Main industries: Historically focused on farming, animal husbandry, and coal mining; currently centered on farming and animal husbandry.

Main produce: Corn, millet, miscellaneous grains, and fruit trees—primarily walnuts, mountain apricots, pears, and others.

This is not only an ancient village but also the former site of the Eighth Route Army’s Jirecha Advance Column Headquarters... More detailed information about Malan Village++