Cixi Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery

Cixi Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery

The Cixi Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery is a Cixi Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a classic red tourism site.

The Cixi Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery is situated on the northern slope of West Hill at Hukou Lake in Baiyang Village, Guanhaiwei Town, Cixi City — a picturesque location. Established in January 1958, it underwent three renovations from 1966 to 1982, and saw a major expansion by the Cixi County Government in 1985. With a total area of about 5,300 square meters, it is currently the largest martyrs’ cemetery in Cixi.

The cemetery complex includes a main gate, a plaza, a memorial monument, and a cluster of martyrs’ tombs. The main gate stands 4.6 meters high and is 8 meters wide, built with bluestone and topped with glazed tiles in a traditional roofed corridor style. The lintel bears the inscription “Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery” in large characters. The right gatepost is inscribed with “For great sacrifice springs boundless valor,” while the left reads “Dare to change heaven and earth.” On the inner side of the gate, the right chamber houses an exhibition on the lives of the martyrs.

The memorial plaza covers around 700 square meters, paved with square bluestones and able to accommodate about 200 people for organized commemorative activities. The memorial monument is located at the center of the southern end of the plaza. It is 3.1 meters high and 1.2 meters wide, with a base that is 1 meter high and 2.6 meters wide, constructed from bluestone. The railing is made of reinforced concrete, and the overall shape resembles an altar. The central part of the monument features calligraphy by Mao Zedong: “Eternal Glory to the Revolutionary Martyrs.”

The side gates, styled like memorial archways, serve as ceremonial passages for paying respects and are located at the eastern and western ends of the monument. The east gate is inscribed with “Glory Shines Like the Sun and Moon,” with side posts reading “Dispelling darkness to revive China, our undying loyalty; resisting invaders to protect our homeland, the people’s righteousness endures.” The west gate is inscribed with “Fame Lasts for Centuries,” with side posts stating “Looking back on our heroic journey, without sacrifice there would be no happiness; remembering the martyrs’ noble spirit, unshakable mountains forever honor their brilliance.”

The cluster of revolutionary martyrs’ tombs consists of four rows. Each tomb is covered with glazed tiles and built with a flush-gable roof structure. The spacing between tombs is 0.8 meters, all facing north. A total of 56 revolutionary martyrs are interred here, including Fei Dezhao and Zheng Xihu. Among those laid to rest are veterans of the Second Revolutionary Civil War, veterans of the War of Resistance against Japan, martyrs who joined the struggle during the Liberation War or engaged in local revolutionary work, as well as newer generations who sacrificed heroically. They represent a microcosm of the Cixi people’s fight for truth and reflect the patriotic spirit and revolutionary determination of the people of the “Three Norths” region in “resisting foreign aggression and seeking liberation.”

In 1986, the Cixi Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery was designated as part of the third batch of Cultural Relics Protection Units by the Cixi County People’s Government. It has since become a Cixi Municipal Patriotic Education Base and a Zhejiang Provincial Key Martyrs’ Memorial Building Protection Unit. It stands as a proud historical monument for the people of Cixi.