Statue of Martyr Xu Keqiang

Statue of Martyr Xu Keqiang

The Statue of Martyr Xu Keqiang serves as a patriotic education base.

Xu Keqiang (1908–1942), originally named Shixiang, was from Songnan in Baoshan District and a member of the Communist Party of China. In the 1930s, Xu successively served as the Organization Minister of the CPC Suzhou County Committee and Secretary of the Xiaolu District Committee, Secretary of the CPC Suzhou County Committee, and Organization Minister of the Suzhou-Changzhou-Taicang Working Committee. In May of the 31st year of the Republic of China (1942), he was appointed County Party Secretary and Political Commissar of the Independent Regiment. On June 30, in an effort to open up the situation in the border region, all members of the county party committee, county government, and independent regiment set out from Yazhouzhuang in the central area toward the west bank of Jiangyan (Jian) and Huangqiao. On July 1, the troops camped at Miujiaye in Jiangduo District. Despite the fatigue from the long march, Xu Keqiang spent the whole night meeting with local cadres and masses to understand the situation, propagate the Party’s policies, and provide guidance. At dawn on July 2, sentries spotted over a thousand Japanese puppet troops approaching from three directions, creating a critical situation. Outnumbered, Xu calmly made the decision for the county head to lead the breakout while he stayed behind to cover the retreat. He led communicator Ma Lin in a fighting withdrawal along a small ditch. During the battle, Xu coughed up a large amount of blood. He handed his document case to the communicator, ordering him to break through and not let the documents fall into enemy hands. The communicator managed to escape safely, but Xu Keqiang died a heroic death. Local residents secretly buried his remains in Qianfo Temple in Gugao Township.

To commemorate this predecessor who sacrificed his life for national independence and freedom, the people of Songnan erected the Monument to Martyr Xu Keqiang in Songnan Park in 1997 for public reverence and remembrance. It was later designated as a Patriotic Education Base of Baoshan District.