Monument to the Martyrs of Dayushan Island

Monument to the Martyrs of Dayushan Island

The Monument to the Martyrs of Dayushan Island serves as a patriotic education base.

Dayushan Island, anciently known as Yishan, is located in the Huibei Ocean area to the northwest of Daishan Island, 24 kilometers east of Gaoting Town. The island's shape resembles a swimming great shark, hence the name "Fish Mountain." Together with nearby Small Fish Mountain, Big and Small Chenshan, Yuxingnao, and about 35 other islets and reefs, it forms the "Volcanic Islands," with Dayushan being the main island. It covers an area of 8.44 square kilometers, with undulating slopes and hills. The highest peak rises 152.6 meters above sea level. The island has four administrative villages, 15 natural settlements, and a population of over 3,000.

During the Qing Dynasty and the Republican era, Dayushan belonged to Dinghai County. In 1949, it was part of Yulong Township in Zhoushan County. It was liberated in 1950 and came under Daishan District of Dinghai County. In November 1953, the island was designated as Yushan District, governing Gongshan and Daxi townships, under Daishan County. In May 1956, it became Yushan Township. In October 1958, it was made the Yushan Management Area of Dongsha Commune, under Zhoushan County. In June 1960, it came under Daishan Commune. In October 1961, Yushan Commune was established. In June 1962, it reverted to Daishan County. In 1984, it was restructured as Yushan Township, and in July 2001, it was merged into Gaoting Town.

The waters around Dayushan are vast, and it is said that mirages have frequently appeared on the sea surface, making it one of the former "Ten Scenic Spots of Daishan." The Qing Dynasty poet Liu Menglan wrote in his poem "Mirage on Fish Mountain": “The misty vapors from Big and Small Fish Mountains shine like silver, / Habitually watching layered towers rise, / Travelers often come by boat here, / But none are allowed to pause and ask the way.” About 10 kilometers west of the island lies a small islet called Yuxingnao, famous for its lighthouse, which was built in 1872 and is also one of the scenic highlights of Dayushan. Dayushan guards the maritime route from Zhoushan to Shanghai. During the Anti-Japanese War and the Liberation War, the New Fourth Army Coastal Defense Brigade and the East China Sea Guerrilla Corps were stationed on the island at different times.

The surrounding waters of Dayushan Island are rich in intertidal marine species, with abundant mud snails, clams, barnacles, and razor clams. The island retains beautiful natural scenery and traditional fishing village charm, making it a prime destination for leisure and recreation.

The fiercely fought Battle of Dayushan, which resounded across the East China Sea, is hailed as the "Island's Langya Mountain Battle." To commemorate this glorious history, the People's Government of Daishan County erected the Revolutionary Martyrs Monument of the Dayushan Battle in July 1988. The monument is built with white marble, stands 7.75 meters tall, and covers an area of 19.6 square meters. Lü Bingkui, former Secretary of the CPC Sandong Regional Committee and Political Commissar of the Coastal Defense Brigade, inscribed the words: “Eternal glory to the revolutionary martyrs who bravely sacrificed their lives in the Battle of Dayushan.” In 1994, it was named one of the first 11 patriotic education bases in the city.

Dayushan is situated in the Huibei Ocean at the mouth of the Qiantang River, in the central-western part of the Zhoushan Archipelago. On the early morning of August 21, 1944, the First Company of the Coastal Defense Brigade of the New Fourth Army’s Eastern Zhejiang Guerrilla Column was ordered to cross the Huibei Ocean overnight and stationed on Dayushan Island to establish an anti-Japanese base. However, due to a traitor named A’Long on Dayushan, on the fifth day after the company landed—August 25 at dawn—the company was subjected to a joint attack by over 100 Japanese troops and 300 puppet troops from land, sea, and air. The enemy deployed two airplanes, two landing craft, five machine guns, and one 105mm large warship. At that time, our forces had only 76 soldiers, each equipped with just 100 bullets and four grenades. Facing well-armed enemies outnumbering them eight to one, all members of the First Company showed no fear and engaged in a desperate bloody battle, demonstrating extraordinary tenacity and bravery. Enemy planes strafed our forces with machine guns at low altitude and provided cover for the advancing warships.

Around 8:00 a.m. on August 25, the enemy climbed onto Dayushan Island from both the north and south. Our forces first seized three commanding heights—Dayao Hill, Daqi Hill, and Huzhuangtou—forming a triangular defense. Enemy forces attacked separately along several routes, and the battle raged fiercely. At Dayao Hill, Deputy Battalion Commander Chen Tiekang and Company Commander Cheng Keming led a tenacious defense, repelling three assaults by two enemy columns. The entire Battle of Dayushan lasted seven hours, resulting in over 100 enemy casualties, while 42 soldiers of the First Company heroically sacrificed their lives. The battle dealt a heavy blow to the Japanese forces and demonstrated the heroic spirit of the Chinese people in defending their sacred territory. Afterward, Xinhua News Agency issued a battle report, and Xinhua Radio broadcast the glorious deeds of the First Company worldwide. The Liberation Daily reprinted the full report, and the Zhejiang Eastern Combat Newspaper specially published a comic book titled "The Bloody Battle of Dayushan," writing an immortal and glorious chapter in the history of the New Fourth Army’s resistance war.

To honor the revolutionary martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the battle, to educate cadres and the public—especially the youth—with their stories, to inherit and promote revolutionary traditions, and to foster patriotism, in 1988, Daishan County allocated 13.5 million yuan to build the Revolutionary Martyrs Monument of the Dayushan Battle at the main battlefield where the bloodshed occurred, on the very ground stained with the martyrs' blood. The monument bears inscriptions, the names of 37 revolutionary martyrs, and the list of 34 soldiers who safely returned.