Former Site of the First Cadre Youth Training Class of the Kuocang Guerrilla Zone

Former Site of the First Cadre Youth Training Class of the Kuocang Guerrilla Zone

In May 1947, the Zhejiang South Special Committee of the Chinese Communist Party issued the "Instructions on Current Work," listing cadre training and talent cultivation as the top priority among five major tasks. In line with the spirit of these instructions, the Lishui Central County Committee of the CCP organized the first mobile cadre youth training class in late July of that year, with 44 participants. By mid-September, the class was moved to the more secluded Taogu Cave, where it continued until its conclusion in mid-October. During the training period, leaders of the Central County Committee, including Zhou Peizhen and Xu Shoukao, personally delivered lectures. The topics covered included fundamental issues of the Chinese revolution, discourse on the cultivation of Communist Party members, military political work, and guerrilla tactics. All 44 participants of the first cadre youth training class later became key figures in the revolution.

Taogu Cave, the site of the first cadre youth training class of the Kuocang Guerrilla Zone, is located on the cliffs of Huangtan Pit Mountain in Meitan Village, Xiyuan Township, Yongjia County. Legend has it that during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the renowned scholar Tao Hongjing and his sister once lived in seclusion here. The siblings were skilled in medicine and benefited the local community, hence the name. At the cave entrance stands a naturally formed upright rock known as Guanjian Rock, which stands gracefully like a heavenly maiden. Inside the cave, there are three-story halls with five rooms. The upper sections have no beams, while wells are carved into the lower parts. The halls house the Three Jewels, arhats, and guardian deities, all with solemn and majestic appearances—within a single cave, it feels like an entire Buddhist realm. The cave features interconnected chambers, with caves within caves and layers stacked upon layers, truly a marvel of nature. From the cave ceiling, a thread-like spring cascades down, creating a soothing sound. The water that drips into the cave’s well serves thousands of visitors daily but never dries up or overflows. In spring and summer, the area is covered in lush greenery, filled with birdsong and floral fragrance. Occasionally drifting clouds and enchanting mountain mists enhance the scenery, making a visit to Taogu Cave feel like stepping into a fairyland. A local saying goes: “Of the eighteen caves of Yandang Mountain, none surpasses Taogu Cave.”

Source: Party History Research Office of the Wenzhou Municipal Committee of the CCP