Former Site Memorial Hall of the New Fourth Army's 4th Detachment

Former Site Memorial Hall of the New Fourth Army's 4th Detachment

The Former Site Memorial Hall of the New Fourth Army's 4th Detachment is a classic red tourism destination and a patriotic education base.

Nestled on the picturesque southern shore of Wanfo Lake, amidst rolling mountains that form an expansive valley, stands a Huizhou-style building—Wei Family House—set against the backdrop of shimmering lake and mountain scenery. From May 1938 to June 1939, General Gao Jingting led the 4th Detachment of the New Fourth Army in a 13-month stay at Wei Family House in Donggang Valley. At the time, Wei Family House was the residence of the Wei family, consisting of over 20 rooms. The Weis were a prominent and open-minded local gentry family who firmly supported the resistance against Japan. They voluntarily offered most of their house for use by the 4th Detachment. After the detachment left Donggang and Xigang Valleys, the house was returned to its owners. In 1991, the Wei family donated the property to the state.

Since 1980, with the care and attention of Party committees and governments at all levels, the former site of the 4th Detachment of the New Fourth Army (Wei Family House) has been successively designated as a “Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Shucheng County,” a “Patriotic Education Base of Shucheng County,” a “Provincial Young Pioneers Education Base,” a “Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Cultural Relics Protection Units of Anhui Province,” and a “‘139’ Red Tourism Project of Lu’an City.” In June 2007, over 7 million yuan was invested in the restoration and reconstruction of the former site, giving it a completely renewed look. It became a “splash of red” within the green tourism landscape of Wanfo Lake. Under a government-led and market-operated management model, it was integrated into the overall tourism development of Wanfo Lake, forming a grand tourism pattern where “green highlights red, red promotes green, and the two complement each other beautifully.”

On May 16, 2008, marking the 70th anniversary of the 4th Detachment’s arrival in Donggang Valley, a grand opening ceremony was held. On June 5, 2008, Wan Haifeng, former Political Commissar of the Chengdu Military Region, and his wife Zhao Zheng visited Wei Family House in Donggang Village, Gaofeng Township, Shucheng County, to inspect the red tourism development of the former site of the 4th Detachment. They gave high praise and full affirmation to the construction of the memorial hall. Since its opening, the site has received over 10,000 visitors for tours and patriotic education.

The former site, Wei Family House, is 60 kilometers from the county seat and 5 kilometers from the southern shore of Wanfo Lake. Starting from Shucheng County, you can first enjoy a tour of Wanfo Lake, then take a vehicle from the southern shore dock to reach the beautifully mountainous former site of the 4th Detachment. Alternatively, you can drive along the Shuxiao Road directly to Shanqi Town, then turn to Donggang Village, Gaofeng Township, to find Wei Family House. Park at the parking lot of the former site, cross the river road, and you’ll see a prominent sign for the site. A 500-meter-long, 4.5-meter-wide red tourism avenue leads from the parking lot to Wei Family House. Lined with tall cypress trees, the tree-lined path creates a solemn and serene atmosphere. After walking a few dozen meters, you’ll encounter a grand and imposing memorial archway gate for the former site of the 4th Detachment, standing 12 meters high and 10 meters wide. Its front and back feature couplets: the front reads, “Battle flags shine with sun and moon, galloping across 3,000 li of Jianghuai” and “Iron-blooded soldiers forge an indomitable military spirit, dominating the 100,000 peaks of the Dabie Mountains,” recounting the glorious achievements of the 4th Detachment in the Dabie region. The back reads, “Like poetry and painting, azaleas stained with heroes’ blood” and “These deeds and people, immortalized in history with lofty aspirations,” paying deep tribute to General Gao Jingting.

After passing the memorial archway, cross a small bridge to reach the large relief sculpture group of the 4th Detachment. Standing 5 meters high and 10 meters wide, it is divided into three panels. The central panel depicts three senior commanders at the formation of the 4th Detachment: Commander Gao Jingting in the middle, with Staff Officer Lin Weixian and Political Director Xiao Wangdong on either side. The right panel shows General Gao leading soldiers through arduous guerrilla warfare in the Eyuwan region for three years. The bottom panel illustrates intense battles at the mouth of the Jiangjia River, centered around Dongxi Gang Valleys—the first shots fired by the New Fourth Army against the Japanese and their first offensive battle in the east. Ascending 79 steps from the relief, you’ll find the 1,000-square-meter Revolutionary Site Monument of the 4th Detachment in Western Anhui. The 18.8-meter-tall monument features simple designs, inscribed with “Revolutionary Monument of the New Fourth Army in Western Anhui” on the front and “Eternal Glory to the Martyrs of the 4th Detachment” on the back. This monument commemorates the great achievements of Gao Jingting, the soldiers of the 4th Detachment, and the unnamed heroes who sacrificed here.

A hundred meters past the monument lies Wei Family House. Backed by mountains and facing an open field, the house also features a “Crescent Pond” and the Hu Family River in front. Legend says Wei Family House sits on a “beauty’s land,” with the crescent-shaped pond serving as her mirror and the Hu Family River as her washing place—thus the house lies in the embrace of a “beauty.” Flanked by hills on both sides, it reflects the rural saying, “Green Dragon to the left, White Tiger to the right,” while the crescent pond symbolizes “storing water to gather wealth,” showing the owners’ emphasis on feng shui. Dozens of weeping willows line the pond, their slender branches reflected in the water, creating harmonious beauty. Past the pond stands the former site of Wei Family House, covering about 2,500 square meters, enclosed by walls on the front and surrounded by houses on the other three sides, with a courtyard in the center. Inside, you’ll first see a bronze bust of General Gao Jingting standing in the middle. Opposite the entrance are 10 restored traditional rooms, used for the exhibition hall and Gao’s command post. Six rooms each flank the entrance—on the right, a war history exhibition hall, and on the left, offices and a reception area. All structures follow the principle of “restoration to original appearance,” built with antique gray bricks and white lime joints, symbolizing Gao’s integrity and narrating the extraordinary history of the 4th Detachment.

In late April 1938, General Gao Jingting led the 4th Detachment to first station in Jiujing, Shucheng. Two days later, they moved forward to Wusha, which had better terrain, so the headquarters relocated there. About 20 days later, feeling Wusha’s terrain was too low and narrow, Gao chose a new site. Studying the map, he found Donggang Valley—higher in elevation, surrounded by mountains with a flat center, bordering the boundless central Anhui plains to the east, the towering Dabie Mountains to the west, Anqing to the south, and Hefei to the north, strategically controlling the Anhe Highway—an ideal base for guerrilla warfare and resisting Japan. Thus, the headquarters, guard company, intelligence, and reconnaissance units moved to Wei Family House in Donggang Valley. In July, the headquarters shifted to Dunfu Temple in Xigang, while the political department and other units remained in Wei Family House.

During its stay at Wei Family House, the 4th Detachment actively mobilized and led the people in resisting Japan, operating across western, central, and eastern Anhui, as well as northern Jiangsu. They engaged in over 90 battles, killing or wounding more than 2,300 enemy troops, capturing over 1,400 guns, 20-plus horses, destroying 156 enemy vehicles, and 2 gunboats. The detachment grew from 3,100 to over 11,000 soldiers. One of its most famous battles was the May 1938 ambush at Jiangjia River Mouth in Chaohu. Achieving swift surprise, the battle killed over 20 enemies, captured 11 guns, one flag, and ammunition—all within minutes. This battle marked the first shots fired by the New Fourth Army against Japan and shattered the myth of the “invincible Imperial Army.”

Gao Jingting, originally named Gao Zhiyuan, was born in August 1907 into a poor farming family in Guangshan County, Henan Province. In 1927, he joined the peasant movement and devoted himself to revolution. He joined the Communist Party of China in 1929. He served as Secretary of Guangshan County Party Committee, Chairman of the Eyuwan Special District Soviet, Secretary of the Henan East District Committee, Organization Minister of the Central Bureau of Eyuwan, Party Committee Member of Eyuwan Provincial Committee and Secretary of Northwest Anhui District Committee, Political Commissar of the 75th Division of the 25th Red Army, and Political Commissar of the 28th Red Army, among other key roles. On June 24, 1939, he was wrongfully executed in Qinglongchang, Feidong County, at the age of 32 during the eastward march.

On November 30, 1975, Mao Zedong read with deep sorrow a letter from Gao Fengying, daughter of Gao Jingting, appealing to the central government to clarify the reasons for her father’s execution. Aware that this injustice remained unresolved, he instructed relevant departments to swiftly investigate. Mao believed the case was mishandled, suspecting Xiang Ying bore primary responsibility. On April 17, 1977, the General Political Department of the PLA issued a notice rehabilitating Gao Jingting, offering a fair assessment of his life and officially restoring his reputation—ending 38 years of injustice. The Former Site Memorial Hall of the 4th Detachment (Wei Family House) stands as a historical testament to the detachment’s eastward resistance and a vessel of its revolutionary legacy. It plays a crucial role in educating youth about the “Iron Army” spirit, promoting the military’s courage, hard work, and dedication to the people. Though the fallen are gone, the living must remember history, uphold revolutionary traditions, and carry forward the “Iron Army” spirit, guided by the Party’s 17th Congress spirit.

Adhering to a people-centered scientific development outlook, we must study diligently, work steadfastly, and advance the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics with a positive spirit and enthusiasm.

The “Former Site Memorial Hall of the 4th Detachment of the New Fourth Army” officially opened on May 16, 2008. From May 1938 to June 1939, Commander Gao Jingting led the detachment in a year and one month of operations from Donggang Valley, Shucheng. Under his command, they fought heroically across the Jianghuai region, especially scoring a historic first with the Jiangjia River Mouth battle—the first engagement against Japan in the War of Resistance.