Chen Yi Memorial Hall

Chen Yi Memorial Hall

The Chen Yi Memorial Hall is a classic red tourism attraction and a patriotic education base.

Marshal Chen Yi was an outstanding military strategist, a talented poet, and a lifelong lover of wine. The predecessor of the Shuanggou Liquor Group—"He Quande Brewery"—was owned by He Zimou, a close friend of Comrade Chen Yi during the war years. As a result, many touching stories about Comrade Chen Yi have been passed down in the Shuanggou area. To commemorate Marshal Chen Yi and educate future generations, the Shuanggou Liquor Group built the Chen Yi Memorial Hall in 2000 as a revolutionary tradition education base.

The memorial hall was constructed on the original site of "He Quande Brewery," where Comrade Chen Yi stayed during his campaigns in the Lianghuai region. Covering an area of over 400 square meters and costing more than one million yuan, the hall features a bronze statue of Marshal Chen Yi. In the statue, he stands with his left hand on his hip and his right hand holding binoculars, gazing resolutely into the distance, evoking deep respect from visitors. The memorial hall is divided into three exhibition rooms, displaying photos of Comrade Chen Yi from different historical periods, as well as weapons used by New Fourth Army soldiers in combat, daily necessities, recreational items, and captured Japanese artifacts such as swords and helmets.

Among the exhibits, the most captivating is a slightly worn Go board with an unfinished game. It is said that in 1943, Comrade Chen Yi came to Shuanggou Town in northeastern Anhui, by the Hongze Lake and downstream of the Huai River. He stayed at the predecessor of the Shuanggou Group—"He Quande Brewery"—and directed the military and civilians of Lianghuai in their struggle against the enemy, puppets, and die-hard forces. During this time, he became good friends with He Zimou, the owner of "He Quande Brewery," who was also a member of the HuaiBei SuWan Border Region Consultative Council and a standing member of the Si'nan County Consultative Council. They often played Go together at the brewery. Whenever the brewery produced fine wine, He Zimou would invite Comrade Chen Yi to taste it. They frequently shared poetic moments, sipped wine, and played Go, leaving behind many memorable anecdotes about poetry, wine, and chess. One day, while hosting democratic personages of the anti-Japanese united front in the SuWan Border Region, Comrade Chen Yi specially served Shuanggou Daqu liquor, which had won the "Gold Medal at the Nanyang Industrial Exposition" and was gifted to him by He Zimou, for the guests to enjoy. During the gathering, Comrade Chen Yi spoke eloquently, introducing the color, aroma, taste, and long brewing history of Shuanggou Daqu to the guests, praising it as "first-class in the world," and encouraging everyone to enjoy it to the fullest. During that period, on the eve of decisive battles and after victories, the brewery owner would invite the marshal to play Go and drink Shuanggou Daqu together.

Chen Yi (August 26, 1901 – January 6, 1972), whose given name was Shijun and courtesy name Zhonghong, was from Lezhi, Sichuan. He was an outstanding member of the Communist Party of China, a tested and loyal communist fighter, a great proletarian revolutionary, statesman, military strategist, diplomat, and poet. He was one of the founders and leaders of the People's Liberation Army of China, a marshal of the People's Republic of China (one of the Ten Marshals), and an eminent leader of the Party and the country. He also served as the first mayor of Shanghai in the new China.

I. Chen Yi’s Early Years

(1901–1927)

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