Siming Mountain Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery

Siming Mountain Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery

The Siming Mountain Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery is a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit, a classic red tourism attraction, and a patriotic education base.

is located in the Siming Mountain area of Yinxian County, Ningbo, where rolling peaks and complex terrain define the landscape. Throughout various revolutionary periods, the Chinese Communist Party led the people here in indomitable struggles, particularly during the War of Resistance against Japan and the Liberation War, when the Party established armed forces among the populace to engage in prolonged and arduous battles against Japanese imperialism and stubborn bandits, composing one moving heroic saga after another.

To commemorate these heroes and martyrs who sacrificed their lives and shed their blood for the revolution, starting in 1951, the people of Ningbo and Yinxian County began constructing and expanding the martyrs' cemetery and Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall in Zhangshui Town, western Yinxian County. Currently, the Siming Mountain Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery in Yinxian County covers an area of 14,300 square meters. The cemetery is lush with trees and flowers, offering a pleasant landscape. The memorial hall features well-arranged, solemn architecture. Within this complex are a memorial tower, memorial stele, memorial hall, martyrs' deeds exhibition room, martyrs’ burial ground, columbarium, and a winding rest corridor. The most eye-catching feature is the towering martyrs' memorial tower situated right at the center of the cemetery. Atop the tower stands a bright red five-pointed star symbolizing how the revolutionary spirit of the martyrs shines like the sun and moon, illuminating eternity. The four sides of the tower are engraved with four sets of reliefs that artistically depict the fervent years of revolutionary struggle in Yinxian County. The martyrs' deeds exhibition hall is a place where visitors linger; it displays a rich collection of exhibits illustrating the history of the martyrs' unyielding struggles through various revolutionary periods in Yinxian County.

Today, the Siming Mountain Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery in Yinxian County has become an important site for people to mourn the martyrs, express remembrance, and receive patriotic education. It receives a constant stream of visitors from all walks of life.

The Siming Mountain Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery is situated within one of China’s Top 100 Classic Red Tourism Attractions — the former site of the Northeastern Zhejiang (Siming Mountain) Anti-Japanese Base Area in Ningbo. It is located in Zhangshui Town on the banks of the Zhangxi River at the foot of Siming Mountain in western Yinxian County, 35 kilometers from downtown Ningbo. To the west, it connects with downtown Yuyao, to the east with Ningbo Lishe Airport, and to the south with the Xikou Scenic Area, a national 4A-level tourist attraction. Transportation is very convenient.

The cemetery was first built in December 1944 as the burial site for martyrs such as Li Min. Starting in 1951, the Yinxian County government undertook several renovations and expansions, resulting in its current size of 14,300 square meters in total area and 3,700 square meters in building area. The renovated cemetery faces south with its back against Wanghaitou Nianggang Mountain. The architecture is well arranged, consisting of martyrs’ tombs, steles, pavilions, a memorial hall, and an exhibition hall. The northern rear part of the cemetery is the burial area, featuring five domed round tombs and one rectangular tomb mound, housing the remains of 157 martyrs who bravely sacrificed their lives during the War of Resistance against Japan and the Liberation War. On a two-story platform 2 meters high directly in front of the tombs, the towering Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Tower rises 25.2 meters high, symbolizing the founding of the Chinese Communist Party organization in Ningbo (Yinxian County) in February 1925. The base of the tower is engraved with four sets of relief patterns: “Dashong Tide,” “Meiyuan Flag,” “Zhangxi Blood,” and “Siming Fire,” artistically recreating the fervent course of Yinxian County’s revolutionary struggles. In front of the memorial tower lies a 4,000-square-meter lawn plaza that can accommodate over 2,000 people for commemorative activities. On both sides of the plaza to the south stand two matching pentagonal memorial pavilions, each housing a stone stele inscribed with the eight large characters “Great in Life” and “Glorious in Death.” The reverse side of the steles lists the names of 198 martyrs.

On the western side of the cemetery stands a three-story building. The first floor houses the Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall, where a stone tablet inscribed with “Martyrs Forever in Siming” displays the names of more than 670 martyrs. The second and third floors are respectively the “Martyrs’ Columbarium” and the “Columbarium for Deceased Revolutionary Workers.” A newly built exhibition hall to the north of the memorial hall covers an area of 678 square meters, showcasing the history of revolutionary struggles and the deeds of martyrs in Yinxian County across four historical periods: the Great Revolution period, the War of Resistance against Japan period, the Liberation War period, and the period of socialist revolution and construction. Each revolutionary period outlines the then-current situation of the struggle, displaying the experiences of revolutionary martyrs, historical photos, personal belongings, portraits, and more. Among the over 100 revolutionary relics, whether it's a single piece of letter paper, a fountain pen, a diary, a war trophy, or weapons such as broadswords, rifles, and bullets, all vividly illustrate the truths that “Without the Communist Party, there would be no New China” and “Only socialism can save China.”