Xijia'ao Revolutionary Base Memorial Hall

Xijia'ao Revolutionary Base Memorial Hall

Xijia'ao Village, situated in the upper reaches of the Nanxi River in Yongjia County, was formerly known as Xiagang'ao. Located at the junction of the Hesheng and Yantan Rivers, it lies against the mountains and by the waters, featuring a perilous and steep terrain. The village boasts a long revolutionary legacy: in 1930, more than 20 locals joined the 13th Red Army. In 1938, Xie Yongqing, Secretary of the Central District Committee of the Chinese Communist Party in Western Nanxi, designated the area as a base for reviving and reconstructing the party organization in Western Nanxi. It also served as a frequent site of activity for the Ou’bei County Committee and Jiangbei Office of the Chinese Communist Party, and in 1942, the Ou’bei Anti-Japanese Armed Squad was established here. Following directives from the Central China Bureau and the Special Committee, the Ou’bei County Committee of the CCP and the Jiangbei Office of the Zhejiang South Special Committee of the CCP actively organized party members and cadres here to study the policy of concealing strength and maintaining an efficient core, putting this strategy into practice. In March 1943, the Ou’bei County Committee held a meeting here with the heads of party organizations from various regions. During the Liberation War, the reactionary Kuomintang regarded the village as a key target during their “rural pacification” campaigns, launching multiple “encirclement and suppression” operations to arrest and execute Communist Party members and revolutionary civilians. In February 1947 alone, over 30 people were arrested in a single incident.

The Xijia'ao Revolutionary Base Memorial Hall, built in 1992 in Xiji'ao Village, Donggao Township, Yongjia County, is a two-story structure made of reinforced concrete, brick, and wood, measuring 8.7 meters in both length and width, with a total floor area of 160 square meters. The main entrance features a couplet that reads: “Lofty green hills stand witness — the glorious legacy of the revolutionary base lasts for all time; the rushing Nanxi River flows on — the scenic wonders of the riverside forest stay forever lush.” The front courtyard of the hall connects to the road, flanked on both sides by rectangular lotus ponds. Inside the hall, exhibits include historical materials and photographs of the village, along with newspapers and magazines. It serves as a gathering place for the village elders and an educational base for local youth to learn about revolutionary traditions.

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