Former Sites of the Red 25th Army and Red 28th Army Headquarters in Jinzhai

Former Sites of the Red 25th Army and Red 28th Army in Jinzhai

The former sites of the Red 25th Army and Red 28th Army headquarters in Jinzhai are cultural heritage conservation units of Anhui Province and classic red tourism attractions.

The former sites of the Red 25th Army and Red 28th Army headquarters in Jinzhai County were completed and opened to the public on May 6, 2009, on the 80th anniversary of the victories of the "Lixia Festival Uprising" and the "Liuhuo Uprising." The former site of the Red 25th Army's military and political institutions showcases the glorious history of the Red 25th Army through rich and detailed historical materials. The former site of the Red 28th Army centers on the establishment, re-establishment, and rebuilding of the Red 28th Army, highlighting its reorganization and combat operations.

Site of the Merger of the Red 25th and 28th Armies: Located at the Hu Family Ancestral Hall in Baojiyan Village, Tanghui Township, Jinzhai County. In April 1934, after the successful rendezvous of the Red 25th Army and the Red 28th Army, the merger and reorganization were completed here. Later, under the command of Xu Haidong and others, the Red Army triumphantly arrived at Yongping Town on September 16, 1935, joining forces with the Red 26th Army and Red 27th Army led by Liu Zhidan. They became the first Red Army unit to reach the Shaan-Gan base area during the Long March and were hailed as the "Vanguard of the Long March."

The site currently has 12 rooms, preserving extremely precious Red Army slogans. On one side wall is written the slogan "Capture the bandit leader Liu Zhenhua alive," signed by the "Political Department of the Red 28th Army." On another wall of the Hu Family Ancestral Hall, there are more Red Army slogans such as: "Resolutely restore the Soviet area in northwestern Anhui!" (Political Department of the Red 28th Army), "Oppose —, oppose officers, do not strike workers and peasants of the Soviet area," among others. It was designated as a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit in September 1981.

Xu Haidong, born on June 17, 1900, in Xujiayao Village, Jiangchong Village, Xincheng Town, Dawu County, Hubei Province. He joined the Communist Party of China in April 1925 and participated in the Northern Expedition in 1926 as a platoon leader. After the failure of the Great Revolution, he was sent back to his hometown to organize armed struggle and established a CPC branch among the kiln workers.

During the Agrarian Revolutionary War period, Xu Haidong held various positions including captain of the Peasant Self-Defense Corps in Hekou District, Huangpi County; member of the Huangpi County Committee of the CPC; head of the Military Department and secretary of Xiadian (District) District Committee; commander of the County Red Guards; commander and party representative of the Independent Battalion; and… More details about Xu Haidong++

Liu Zhidan (1903–1936)

Given name Jinggui, courtesy name Zidan (later changed to Zhidan), he was from Luzigou Village, Jinding Township, present-day Zhidan County. His grandfather Liu Shijie was a selected scholar (bajin) during the Tongzhi era (1862–1874) of the Qing Dynasty. His father, Liu Peiji, was a scholar in the late Qing Dynasty, who once served as adjutant to Zhang Jieru, the militia commander of Jinfoping, a teacher at Jintang Primary School, and later as a member and permanent member of the second council of the Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Region Government. Liu Zhidan was the eldest of five brothers. At age seven, he studied with his father before transferring to Yongningshan Advanced Primary School. In 1922 (the 11th year of the Republic of China), he was admitted to Yulin Middle School. Liu Zhidan… More details about Liu Zhidan++