Pingxi Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall

Pingxi Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall

The Pingxi Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall is a classic red tourism destination and a patriotic education base.

The Pingxi Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall is located in the Shidu Tourist Scenic Area in southwestern Beijing, about 100 kilometers from the city center. The museum displays an extensive historical exhibition primarily focused on the anti-Japanese resistance in Pingxi. A wealth of cultural relics and photographs tell the story of the glorious struggle of the people of Pingxi. Outside the museum, there are the Pingxi Anti-Japanese War Monument, a forest of steles commemorating a hundred martyrs, and other activity venues. It is a national patriotic education base that integrates publicity, education, visits, and tourism. With the support of former leaders who had worked and fought in Pingxi and relevant departments, the museum was officially opened on March 26, 1992. Above the main gate is inscribed “Eternal Glory to the Martyrs Who Sacrificed Their Lives for the People’s Anti-Japanese War in Pingxi.” The base of the screen features a white-marble-like floral wreath sculpture surrounded by flowers, symbolizing the victory of the Pingxi Anti-Japanese War achieved through the bloodshed of countless martyrs.

The old exhibition is divided into seven sections: 1. “The Party-led Anti-Japanese War in Pingxi,” showcasing the history of the Pingxi Party organization from spreading revolutionary ideals to launching the nationwide resistance; 2. “The Establishment and Development of the Pingxi Anti-Japanese Base Area,” recreating scenes of governance, unity between the military and civilians, and educational development under harsh conditions; 3. “The Atrocities of the Japanese Invaders,” exposing the brutalities committed against Pingxi through harrowing images of corpses, burned and collapsed houses, and tears of humiliation; 4. “Hard Times – The People of Pingxi Persisted in the Struggle,” depicting how military and civilians joined forces, combining labor with combat, reclaiming land, producing weapons, making paper, and overcoming economic hardships; 5. “Transition to Counteroffensive – Striving for Victory in the War,” illustrating how brave heroes kept fighting and eventually led to the victory of the Anti-Japanese War; 6. “A Partial Roll of Honor of Pingxi Martyrs,” introducing the heroic deeds of those who sacrificed their lives; 7. “Remembering the Martyrs and Carrying Forward Their Will,” detailing the process by which the people of Pingxi built monuments, pavilions, and the memorial hall, as well as tributes from people of all walks of life.

The new building of the museum has a total floor area of 4,350 square meters, with an exhibition space of 2,500 square meters. The exhibition is divided into eight sections: “The Invasion of China by Japanese Imperialism,” “The Establishment of the Anti-Japanese National United Front and the Eighth Route Army's March to the Front,” “The Proclamation,” “The Establishment of the Jin-Cha-Ji Anti-Japanese Base Area,” “The Launch of Guerrilla Warfare in Pingxi and the Opening of the Base Area,” “Consolidating Pingxi, Holding onto Central Hebei, and Advancing into Northern Pingxi,” “The Hard Struggles in the Pingxi Base Area,” and “The Growth of the Pingxi Base Area and the Great Victory of the Anti-Japanese War.” It displays 316 photos and 268 cultural relics, presenting the national resistance situation and the establishment process of the Jin-Cha-Ji Base Area from various perspectives, with a focus on reflecting the entire process of establishing and consolidating the Pingxi Anti-Japanese Base Area.

Behind every photo displayed in the memorial hall lies a moving and unforgettable story, and within each relic is engraved the unyielding national spirit of the people of Pingxi. Martyr Bao Sen was the first pioneer of the Fangshan Anti-Japanese Base Area. Loyal to the Party and the people, he fought the enemy bravely with astonishing courage and extraordinary wisdom. He established the first people’s army in Fangshan, created the first district-level anti-Japanese government, and developed the first anti-Japanese base area, making outstanding contributions. On February 17, 1942, Bao Sen led his troops in battle against the Japanese army and the “Manchukuo Unit.” While climbing Wild Tiger Mountain in Zunhua County to observe the enemy with binoculars, he was shot in the chest by a sniper and died a martyr at the age of 32. Bao Sen is one of the thousands of martyrs in Pingxi. Their blood wrote a magnificent epic for Pingxi, and their spirits will forever inspire future generations to strive forward.

Fangshan is a veteran revolutionary base area with a proud tradition of revolution. As early as the period of the Agrarian Revolutionary War, communists left their footprint in spreading the seeds of revolution here. After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, the Northern Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army sent capable cadres to establish the Pingxi Anti-Japanese Base Area. Generals such as Xiao Ke and Deng Hua led the military and civilians of Pingxi in fierce battles against the Japanese invaders. As a crucial part of the national resistance, this region saw the rise of heroes and moving stories, including the “Six Heroes of Laomaoshan” and figures such as Zhao Ran, Chen Hui, and Jin Yaochen.

To commemorate the martyrs, in 1985, under the initiative of veterans and former leaders such as Yang Chengwu, Xiao Wenjiu, Li Dezhong, and Lu Ping, the Pingxi Anti-Japanese Martyrs' Cemetery, Memorial Hall, and Martyrs’ Stele Forest were established in Shidu Village. The exhibition hall of the memorial collected and displayed precious historical materials including artifacts, poetry manuscripts, and photographs. In 2001, to more accurately reflect the arduous resistance of the people of Pingxi and enhance the role of the patriotic education base, six veteran generals who had fought in Pingxi—Yang Chengwu, Xiao Ke, Zheng Tianxiang, Li Yunchang, Li Baohua, and Sun Yi—jointly wrote to central leaders requesting the expansion of the Pingxi Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall and the inclusion of more historical materials on the resistance in the Jin-Cha-Ji Base Area. On August 15, 2005, the new building of the Pingxi Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall was completed, becoming the largest exhibition venue in the Beijing area after the Lugou Bridge Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall. The Pingxi Anti-Japanese Memorial Hall and the Martyrs’ Cemetery have been listed by the municipal government as key protected martyrs’ sites. They are also recognized as Beijing’s national defense education bases and municipal key heritage sites.

Scenic Area Address: Shidu Village, Fangshan District, Beijing

Transportation: Direct access via Tourist Bus Line 10; take a long-distance bus from Tianqiao or Bus No. 6 to the terminal, then transfer to a long-distance bus at Lianhuachi to reach Shidu; take a train from Beijing South Railway Station to Shidu Station.

Self-driving Route: Exit at Yan Village on the Beijing–Shijiazhuang Expressway, then follow Beijing-Zhou Road to Shidu.

Shidu Village: Shidu Village is located in the center of the Shidu Scenic Area in Fangshan District, Beijing, nestled at the foot of Longshan Mountain and serving as the seat of the Shidu Town government. … Shidu Village Detailed Information++