Memorial Cemetery of Martyrs of the New Fourth Army's United Resistance Forces

Memorial Cemetery of Martyrs of the New Fourth Army's United Resistance Forces

The Memorial Cemetery of Martyrs of the New Fourth Army's United Resistance Forces is a National AA-level Tourist Attraction, a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit, and a Classic Red Tourism Site.

The Memorial Cemetery of Martyrs of the New Fourth Army's United Resistance Forces covers an area of 33,300 square meters with a construction area of over 2,100 square meters. It is located in Qianbu Village, Dun Tou Town, Hai’an County, Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, and was established in 1944. It is the only large-scale memorial cemetery from the Anti-Japanese War period that has been preserved in the central Jiangsu region.

In October 1940, to implement the Party’s Anti-Japanese National United Front policy in the central Jiangsu region, stabilize various independent armed forces in the Jianghuai area, and unite them in the common fight against Japan, the New Fourth Army, under the careful planning of Comrade Chen Yi, established a special anti-Japanese armed unit in Qutang Town. It was officially named the “Directly-Subordinated Column of the Guerrilla Headquarters of the Lu-Su-Wan Border Region” and the “Headquarters of the Third Column of the Su-North Guerrilla Command of the Lu-Su War Zone,” commonly referred to as the United Resistance Forces. Huang Yifeng, an underground Communist Party member holding the rank of Lieutenant General in the Kuomintang, was appointed as its commander.

The main operational area of the United Resistance Forces was defined as north of the Tongyang Canal from Taizhou to Hai’an, west of the Chuanyang River from Hai’an to Dongtai, south of the line from Dongtai to Xinghua, and east of the Guanhe River from Xinghua to Taizhou—collectively referred to as the Xing-Dong-Tai region. The United Resistance Forces and the region they governed were part of the central Jiangsu Anti-Japanese Base Area, which was the only significant political special zone among the 19 base areas led by the Chinese Communist Party during the Anti-Japanese War. Within the Party, the Xing-Dong-Tai Special District Committee of the CCP was established, with Huang Yifeng as secretary and Dai Weiran as deputy secretary. They led the Party, government, military, and mass organizations in the United Resistance region to establish and consolidate the Anti-Japanese Base Area, resolutely combat and isolate stubborn reactionary forces, unite moderate forces in the common fight against Japan. After four years of extremely arduous and outstanding struggle, the historical mission entrusted by the Party was completed in October 1944, and the organizational structure of the United Resistance Forces was disbanded and incorporated into the combat sequence of the Central Jiangsu Military District.

The Joint Resistance Forces Committee of the Tongxing Dongtai Special District, with Huang Yifeng serving as the secretary and Dai Weiran as the deputy secretary, led the Party, government, military, and mass organizations in the Joint Resistance region to establish and consolidate anti-Japanese bases. They resolutely combated and isolated stubborn reactionary forces, united the middle forces in the common fight against Japan, and after four years of extremely arduous and outstanding struggle, successfully fulfilled the historical mission entrusted by the Party. In October 1944, the Joint Resistance Forces were disbanded, and their units were incorporated into the combat sequence of the Central Jiangsu Military District.

The cemetery houses the remains of 161 anti-Japanese heroes. Structures within the site include the United Resistance Martyrs Monument, the Mingli Hall, the cemetery entrance gate, and a plaque for the Mingli Hall inscribed by Huang Yifeng. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Party and government placed great emphasis on the development of the cemetery. Through several expansions, it has now reached a considerable scale. In 1991, then Minister of National Defense General Zhang Aiping inscribed a dedication for the United Resistance Martyrs Monument.

Qianbu Village: Located southeast of Dun Tou Town, Qianbu Village borders Hai’an Town and Qutang Town. It was formed from the merger of the former Qianbu Village, Jianshi Village, Zhongshan Village, and Lieshi Village. The village covers a total area of 7.7146 square kilometers, has 34 villager groups, and 1,520 households. As a red revolutionary tourism base, Qianbu Village is home to an Anti-Japanese War memorial—the Memorial Cemetery of Martyrs of the New Fourth Army's United Resistance Forces. The cemetery currently spans over 33,000 square meters, including more than 18,000 square meters of green space. In November 1944, the Zishi County Government and the United Resistance Forces established the martyrs’ cemetery to bury 161 soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the war... More details about Qianbu Village++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units