Former Site of the Forward Command Post of the Suibei Campaign

Former Site of the Forward Command Post of the Suibei Campaign

The former site of the forward command post of the Suibei Campaign is a cultural heritage protection unit of Jiangsu Province and a classic red tourism destination.

The former site of the forward command post of the Suibei Campaign is located on Ma’ling Mountain in Xinyi County.

Ma’ling Mountain, known in ancient times as Ling Mountain or Ma’ling Mountain, lies across northern Jiangsu and southern Shandong, passing through Tancheng County, Donghai County, and Xinyi City, and extending south to the shores of Luoma Lake in Suqian. The entire mountain range undulates over a stretch of more than a hundred kilometers. The terrain generally slopes from north to south, with the main elevated areas located within Tancheng County in Shandong Province, where the highest peak reaches an altitude of 184.2 meters. The main peak within Xinyi City stands at 91.8 meters. In April 1995, it was approved by the provincial government as a provincial-level scenic area and a provincial-level nature reserve, and it has since been designated as a national 4A-level scenic spot.

Ma’ling Mountain stretches approximately 200 kilometers from north to south, starting from Yiyuan County in Shandong Province and ending in Suqian City, historically referred to as the “Eight Hundred Li of Ma’ling.” Within Xinyi, the mountain runs through the entire region, spanning about 35 kilometers. The Ma’ling Mountain Scenic Area refers to the mountain range centered around Wuhuading, commonly known as the “Southern Ma’ling.” The section of Ma’ling located northeast of Xinyi City and bordering Tancheng in Shandong is commonly called the “Northern Ma’ling.” According to the *Tancheng County Annals*, “This mountain features rolling ridges and hills, resembling a galloping horse, hence the name Ma’ling Mountain.” The Southern Ma’ling within Xinyi consists of peaks such as Fengshan, Doushan, Hushan, Huashan, and Wuhuading, also referred to as the “Five Sisters Mountains.”

During the Suibei Campaign in December 1946, the command post of Marshal Chen Yi was set up in the Sanxian Cave within the scenic area.

The Suibei Campaign was a famous battle conducted under the direct command of Chen Yi in the early stages of the Liberation War. In 1946, the reactionary forces of the Kuomintang launched a large-scale offensive against our liberated areas, invading northern Jiangsu along four routes, attempting to capture Shuyang City and Xin’an Town by advancing along the Hai-Zheng and Su-Xin highways from Suqian. From December 13 to 19, 1946, our forces concentrated a superior force of 24 regiments within a plain area spanning fifty to sixty li from north to south—from the Yi River in the north to the Hai-Zheng Highway in the south, and from Laolong in the east to the foothills of Ma’ling Mountain in the west—and engaged in the Suibei Defensive Battle.

During the Suibei Campaign, the people of Ma’ling Mountain actively supported the front lines, with a total of 410,000 civilian workers participating in tasks such as transporting the wounded and supplying food, grass, and ammunition. After seven days and nights of fierce fighting, the enemy division commander Dai Zhiqi was killed, and over 26,000 enemy troops were annihilated, securing victory in the campaign. In recognition, the Central Military Commission sent a congratulatory telegram calling on all forces in East China to follow the example of the Suibei Campaign and strive to achieve large-scale annihilation battles.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Heritage Protection Units of Jiangsu Province