Former Site of the Central Command Post of the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign

Former Site of the Central Command Post of the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign

The Former Site of the Central Command Post of the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign is a classic red tourism attraction.

This former site is located at the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall in the middle section of Zhengda Street, Zongyang Town. The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall is a Qing Dynasty structure, consisting of three sections front to back, covering a land area of 531.2 square meters and a building area of 494.5 square meters. The front section was demolished during street widening, while the middle and rear sections were restored to their original appearance in 1978. The overall structure is made of brick and wood, with arched beams, vertical pillars, and interlocking brackets; the walls are sealed up to the eaves for fireproofing, the roof is covered with ancient tiles, and the eaves curl upward with flying corners. The gate tower is shaped like the Chinese character "八" (eight), the door frame is made of square stone pillars, and above the gate is carved a scene of two lions fighting over a ball. Upon entering, there are wooden partitioned side rooms on both sides, and between the two sections, there is a rectangular courtyard. The middle section is spacious, with the hall supported by eight main pillars standing on high stone bases. The upper beams are carved with figures, flowers, dragons, and tigers; the ceiling is decorated with colorful patterns. Passing through a stone screen wall leads to the third section, which has a square courtyard, with side rooms to the east and west serving as toilets, featuring bright windows and painted beams. The three sections are interconnected yet internally divided, with balanced layouts, showcasing the architectural art style of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

This former site was the Central Command Post of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army during the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign and was listed as a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit in 1961. In April 1998, it was designated as an Anqing Municipal Patriotic Education Base by the Anqing Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department and the Municipal Education Commission. In 1999, it was further established as an Anqing Municipal National Defense Education Base for All Citizens, and in 2005, it was listed by the Provincial Youth League Committee as a Youth Patriotic Education Base.

In 1949, when the Chinese People’s Liberation Army launched the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign, forces gathered from Wuwei in the east to Yae’ergou east of Anqing in the south, with a total of four armies from the Third and Second Field Armies converging. The Central Command Post for the central crossing route was set up inside the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall. At that time, around 200,000 troops, boatmen, and transport teams had assembled along the northern bank of the Yangtze River from Zongyang upwards. Within the Zongyang area, there were four crossing points: Zongyang Town, Saozhu Gully, Tangjia Gully, and Guijiaba. At exactly 5:00 PM on April 21, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army launched the offensive upon orders, with thousands of boats setting off. By around 6:00 PM, the soldiers of the central crossing route successfully breached the Yangtze River barrier and reached the southern bank.