The First Party Flag Memorial Park of Anhui Province

The First Party Flag Memorial Park of Anhui Province

The First Party Flag Memorial Park of Anhui Province is a national AAA-level tourist attraction, a classic red tourism destination, and a patriotic education base.

The First Party Flag Memorial Park of Anhui Province is located in Xiaodian Town, Shouxian County — the birthplace of the first Chinese Communist Party organization in Anhui. It is under the jurisdiction of the Shouxian County Party Committee and County Government, and is managed on a daily basis by the Xiaodian Town Party Committee and Town Government.

The planned total area of the memorial park is 66 mu, located on East Street of Xiaodian Street in Xiaodian Town. The first phase of the project was largely completed in October 2013. The park integrates education, knowledge-seeking, and leisure, and is one of the important party history education bases in Anhui Province, an Anhui integrity education base, a Huainan municipal party history education base for leading cadres, a Huainan youth revolutionary tradition education demonstration base, one of Huainan’s red-themed tourism areas, and also one of the important red tourism sites in Anhui. Major attractions within the scenic area include: the Xiaodianji Special Branch Memorial of the CPC, the Huai Shang Middle School Tutoring Society, the Shouxian Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery, the Party History Research Center (construction area: 1,950 m², to be built), the Tourism Reception Center (construction area: 1,100 m², to be built), and the Square of the First Party Flag Memorial Park of Anhui Province. On the east side of the square is a 5-mu tourist parking lot, and public toilets for tourists have been built within the park.

In November 2013, the 90th Anniversary Commemoration of the Founding of the Xiaodianji Special Branch of the CPC was successfully held in the memorial park. During major holidays such as “Tomb-Sweeping Day” and “July 1st” every year, large numbers of youths and Party members and cadres from across the province visit the memorial park to participate in activities themed “Promoting the Spirit of the Special Branch and Honoring Revolutionary Martyrs.” As a free attraction, it attracts a continuous stream of visitors from all over, with annual attendance exceeding 10,000 people. In December 2014, the First Party Flag Memorial Park was awarded the title of National AAA-level Tourist Attraction.

Currently, both county and town authorities are actively seeking project funding from higher levels to accelerate the completion of the unfinished first-phase projects and the construction of the planned second-phase projects. Once all projects are completed, the overall functionality of the memorial park will be greatly enhanced, the local tourism reception capacity will be significantly improved, local residents’ incomes will increase, and new vitality will be injected into the development of the local red tourism industry.

Introduction to Key Attractions in the Memorial Park

Xiaodianji Special Branch Memorial of the CPC: The Xiaodianji Special Branch of the CPC was established in the winter of 1923 at Xiaodian Primary School in Xiaodianji, Shouxian County, and was the earliest Party organization in Anhui. The special branch reported directly to the Central Committee of the CPC. The newly built special branch memorial adopts a traditional Chinese courtyard architectural style, with a total construction area of 541.2 m². The memorial uses cultural relics, historical photos, audiovisual materials, wax figures, sculptures, paintings, and oil paintings to depict historical scenes, showcase historical figures, and present the major historical events that took place before and after the establishment of the special branch. It is an Anhui integrity education base, a party history education and research base of the Huainan Municipal Committee of the CPC, a leading cadres' integrity education base, and a party history education base of the Shouxian County Committee of the CPC.

Huai Shang Middle School Tutoring Society: The Huai Shang Middle School Tutoring Society was founded in the summer of 1924 in Caoxiaoyingzi, Xiaodianji, by six individuals including Hu Yungong, a Party member dispatched by the Shanghai University Party organization, and Wu Yun from Fengtai. A Party branch of the tutoring society was also established, reporting directly to the Central Committee of the CPC. The reconstructed tutoring society has a total construction area of 150 m². The interior recreates the fervent scene of a group of passionate youths pursuing revolutionary truth under white terror, using physical objects, sculptures, and pictures.

Shouxian Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery: Proposed and funded by Cao Yunping (former Secretary-General of the Guangzhou Municipal Government), son of Cao Yuan — a famed general of the Northern Expedition — and built with matching funds from Shouxian County’s finance. The cemetery was established in 1993. The martyrs’ memorial tower in the park stands 23 meters tall, and the tower along with its auxiliary buildings covers a total area of 4,488 m². The martyrs’ exhibition room displays photos and glorious deeds of the revolutionary martyrs. In 2014, the entire cemetery underwent expansion, with renovations to the memorial tower and the martyrs’ exhibition room, and a reorganization of the exhibition. Thirty-six new martyr tombs were also built to the east of the memorial tower. The Shouxian Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery is a national AA-level scenic area and a Huainan youth revolutionary tradition education demonstration base.

Square of the First Party Flag Memorial Park of Anhui Province: Covering an area of 18 mu, the central section of the square aligns with the axis of the martyrs’ memorial tower in the cemetery. The square is paved with high-strength floor tiles, and tourist trash bins have been placed as designed. At the eastern end of the square stands a giant stone sculpture inscribed with the words “First Party Flag Memorial Park of Anhui Province.” Both sides of the square are landscaped with various tree species. It has become a popular spot for both tourists and local residents to sightsee and relax.