Former Site of the Headquarters of the 13th Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army

Former Site of the Headquarters of the 13th Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army

The Former Site of the Headquarters of the 13th Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, a Classic Red Tourism Destination, and a Patriotic Education Base.

Soon after the failure of the Great Revolution, armed peasant uprisings surged across southern Zhejiang, drawing the attention of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. In January 1930, the Central Committee sent Jin Guanzhen to inspect southern Zhejiang. In March, the Central Military Commission dispatched Hu Gongmian and others to lead the armed struggle in the region. In May, the 13th Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was officially established in Yongjia, with Hu Gongmian as the army commander, Jin Guanzhen as the political commissar, Chen Wenjie as the director of the political department, and three regiments (divisions) under its command, reaching a peak membership of over 6,000. The army headquarters was located in Wushuicun Village. The 13th Red Army was one of the 14 regular Red Army units incorporated into the sequence of the Central Military Commission at the time. With Yongjia, Wenling, and Yongkang as its main areas of operation, it engaged in over a hundred battles of varying scales, leaving its footprint in more than 20 counties across southern Zhejiang. However, due to the misguided "Left" leadership within the Party, the struggle of the 13th Red Army ultimately ended in failure.

Although the struggle of the 13th Red Army ended in failure, it dealt a heavy blow to the reactionary rule of the Kuomintang and feudal forces in rural areas, and to some extent, diverted the Kuomintang's forces from their "encirclement and suppression" campaigns against the Central Soviet Area. The 13th Red Army spread the ideals and propositions of the Party and the Red Army across the vast rural areas of southern Zhejiang, sowing the seeds of revolution. Most of the central areas where they fought later became guerrilla bases for the Communist Party.

The Former Site of the Headquarters of the 13th Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army is located at the ancestral hall of the Fourth Branch of the Hu Family in Wushuicun Village, Wushui Township, Yongjia County. This is an ancient "square-shaped" ancestral temple, initially built in the sixth year of the Yongzheng reign during the Qing Dynasty (1728). Covering an area of 1,467 square meters with a built-up area of 403 square meters, the temple faces east-southeast and is a five-bay, two-courtyard wooden structure with corridors on both sides, forming a traditional enclosed courtyard. Above the main entrance is a horizontal plaque inscribed with the words "Former Site of the Headquarters of the 13th Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army," written by General Zhang Aiping. Upon entering the gate, there is a front hall, a rear hall, and corridors on both sides, with a square water pool about 50 square meters in size in the central courtyard. On the outer sides of the corridors are two additional pools, each measuring 14 meters long and 7 meters wide. Behind the temple lies the rugged Jiangshantou Mountain, with overlapping ridges, dense peaks, and lush bamboo and trees.

The Monument to the 13th Red Army is situated on a hill about 80 meters south of the former headquarters site. Originally built in 1986, it covers an area of 1,113 square meters. In 2010, the square in front of the monument was expanded, bringing the total area to approximately 1,200 square meters. At the center of the square stands a 3-meter-tall group sculpture depicting a battle scene of the 13th Red Army soldiers. Ascending 49 stone steps from the square leads to a memorial platform measuring 20.5 meters long and 22 meters wide. Another 10 steps upward take you to the base of the monument, which is 12 meters long and 14 meters wide. The platform surrounding the monument is enclosed by bluestone railings and planted with flowers and greenery. The monument itself is 17.8 meters high, 3.3 meters wide, and 1.8 meters thick, built with reinforced concrete and hollow inside, featuring a staircase that leads to the top. Below the red five-pointed star relief on the front top is the inscription "Monument to the 13th Red Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army," handwritten by General Zhang Aiping. The name of the monument is engraved on the bluestone body, and beneath it is an inscription recording the heroic struggle and immortal achievements of the 13th Red Army soldiers.

The Memorial Hall of the 13th Red Army is located about 30 meters north of the former headquarters site. This classical-style building covers an area of 1,526 square meters. It was completed in 2000 and expanded again in 2010, now covering an area of approximately 2,320 square meters. The museum displays historical materials about the 13th Red Army, as well as physical objects such as homemade artillery, swords, and guns used by Red Army soldiers, along with exhibition photos. The majestic monument, the exquisitely carved and classically styled former headquarters site, and the modest yet elegant Memorial Hall of the 13th Red Army complement each other. Surrounded by lush green trees and picturesque mountain and water scenery, the site attracts visitors year-round. They come not only to pay tribute to the monument, visit the former headquarters, and honor the glorious legacy of the martyrs, but also to enjoy the rural landscape and cultivate their sentiments.

The Former Site of the Headquarters of the 13th Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army is a National Classic Red Tourism Destination, a Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Zhejiang Province, a Provincial Patriotic Education Base, a Provincial Party History Education Base, and a Provincial National Defense Education Base.

Source: Party History Research Office of the Wenzhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China