Memorial Monument to Anti-Japanese Martyrs of the Fourth Sub-region of Central Jiangsu

Memorial Monument to Anti-Japanese Martyrs of the Fourth Sub-region of Central Jiangsu

The Memorial Monument to Anti-Japanese Martyrs of the Fourth Sub-region of Central Jiangsu is a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a classic red tourism attraction.

The Memorial Monument to Anti-Japanese Martyrs of the Fourth Sub-region of Central Jiangsu is located in Xinwu Village, Sancang Town, Dongtai City.

The Sancang Martyrs' Cemetery was gradually expanded from the original Memorial Pavilion for Anti-Japanese Martyrs of the Fourth Sub-region of Central Jiangsu. General Su Yu inscribed the dedication. The cemetery originally covered an area of 2.34 mu, began expansion in 1980, and has now grown to 64.7 mu. The cemetery mainly consists of two themed memorial complexes: "Anti-Japanese Martyrs" and "General Su Yu."

The Anti-Japanese Martyrs Memorial Pavilion was built during the turbulent years of war. It was initiated through donations by enlightened gentry such as Shi Jingcheng, with active support from the Party Committee and Administrative Office of the Fourth Sub-region of Central Jiangsu. Construction began in February 1945 and was completed in July of the same year. The pavilion faces south and stands 19.6 meters tall (including the base), in a pentagonal shape, locally referred to as the "Five-Angle Pavilion." Originally made of wood, it underwent three renovations in 1958, 1965, and 1980. The current pavilion features a glazed tile roof, a ceramic gourd finial at the top, and steel-reinforced concrete pillars and railings. Inside the pavilion hangs a horizontal plaque inscribed with the characters "Martyrs Pavilion," handwritten by Liang Lingguang, then Commissioner of the Fourth Sub-region of Central Jiangsu. The couplets on the pavilion pillars were also written by Liang Lingguang. The upper couplet reads: "With loyal blood and devotion shed across the land, the three enemies were driven out to achieve liberation"; the lower couplet reads: "Amidst lush pines and cypresses by the pavilion and tomb, the five-starred light shines to honor their merit." At the center of the pavilion stands the Memorial Monument to Anti-Japanese Martyrs of the Fourth Sub-region of Central Jiangsu, measuring 1.4 meters in height, 0.83 meters in width, and 0.22 meters in thickness. Made of white jade, it was unveiled on July 7, 1945. The inscription, comprising 784 characters, was jointly signed by Zhang Zhendong, Commander of the Fourth Sub-region; Lu Sheng, Political Commissar; Fu Quejian, Deputy Political Commissar and Director of the Political Department; and Liang Lingguang, Commissioner. The back of the monument is engraved with the names of 120 anti-Japanese martyrs, evoking deep reverence.

In the central part of the cemetery stands the Anti-Japanese Martyrs Memorial Tower. The original tower was a brick structure located south of the Martyrs Pavilion, only five or six meters tall, which collapsed after years of rain erosion. In 1980, during the expansion of the Sancang Martyrs' Cemetery by the Sancang Town People's Government, the Memorial Tower was constructed in the central area of the cemetery and completed by the end of 1984. The tower faces east and is situated on a west-facing base covering 1 mu. It stands 20 meters tall with double-layered railings. The front of the tower is inlaid with eight large characters inscribed by Marshal Chen Yi: "Establish Virtue and Merit, Immortalized Forever." On the north side of the tower stands a sculpture depicting a New Fourth Army soldier galloping eastward to fight in the War of Resistance, along with a Type-122 artillery piece gifted by the Nanjing Military Region, which saw meritorious service in the counterattack against Vietnam.

Sancang Town was the core of the anti-Japanese base area in Central Jiangsu during those years. In early 1941, Su Yu, Commander of the First Division of the New Fourth Army, led his troops to be stationed at Wujiaqiao in Sancang for four years. General Su Yu commanded operations here with strategic brilliance, leaving his footprints of battle everywhere. In May 1975, General Su Yu revisited Sancang to see the people of the old revolutionary base. To commemorate General Su Yu’s outstanding contributions in leading the people of Sancang in courageous resistance against Japan, the Sancang Town People's Government decided to build the Su Yu Memorial Hall within the cemetery. The memorial hall is a classic Soviet-style building with an area of 300 square meters, including a 200-square-meter exhibition hall. Zhang Zhen, former Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, inscribed the name "Su Yu Memorial Hall." The hall displays General Su Yu’s biography, historical photos, a bust, and a flower basket offered by his wife Chu Qing. There are also inscriptions by veterans such as Chen Pixian, Liang Lingguang, Zhou Weizhi, and Zhang Yun.

In accordance with General Su Yu’s last will, on April 19, 1984, his wife Chu Qing and their children came to the Sancang Martyrs' Cemetery to bury part of General Su Yu’s ashes. Seven pine and cypress trees were planted around the grave, symbolizing the “Seven Victories in Seven Battles” that General Su Yu commanded in the early stages of the Liberation War in Central Jiangsu. In June of the same year, a stone tablet was erected at the burial site of General Su Yu’s ashes as an eternal memorial.

The cemetery also houses the graves of four martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the revolution before and after the founding of the People’s Republic: Lin Shaokè, Hé Déyuè, Hè Dé, and Liú Jiànjūn. Martyr Lin Shaokè was from Wenhe County, Fujian Province. He served as the regimental commander of the 7th Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 8th Division of the New Fourth Army. He was martyred on September 10, 1946, during the battle to capture Haian and was buried in the Sancang Martyrs' Cemetery. In May 1975, General Su Yu personally visited Martyr Lin Shaokè’s grave and, with tears in his eyes, emotionally said: "During the war years, so many good comrades sacrificed their lives. We must always remember them!"

Sancang Town: A town under the jurisdiction of Dongtai City. It was a township in 1957, upgraded to a commune in 1958, and became a town in 1984. Located in the southeastern part of the city, it is 45 kilometers from the urban area. Covering an area of 76 square kilometers with a population of 57,000, it is traversed by the Anfeng–[illegible] Port Highway and the Huanghai Highway. The Sancang River, Liangduo River, and Panbao River flow through the town. The town administers the following villages: Cangxi, Chaoyang, Huamei, Wangnao, Hexing, Jiuqi, Dingcun, Cangdong, Guanqi, Xinxing, Wanyang, Yicang, Sanyu, Shazao, Beixing, Xuexing, Xinqiang, Qiyi, Bayi, Gushè, Wudun, Cangshèng, Sanzha, Shaohé, Xishe, Wuju, Yangzhong, ... More detailed information about Sancang Town++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units