Monument Commemorating the Red Army's Entry into Changtai

Monument Commemorating the Red Army's Entry into Changtai

The Monument Commemorating the Red Army's Entry into Changtai is a classic site of red tourism.

The Monument Commemorating the Red Army's Entry into Changtai is located on the north side of Wude Garden in Wuan Town, Changtai County.

On April 20, 1932, after capturing Zhangzhou, the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army entered Changtai. One company from Ye Wenlong’s unit under the 49th Division of the Nationalist Army, commanded by Zhang Zhen, fled in panic toward Lindun, leaving behind two plainclothes squads—led by Dai Dazhuan and Li Demao—totaling just over ten men who roamed the streets of Wuan Town, the county seat of Changtai. The puppet county magistrate of the Nationalists also fled with his family, and local despots and gentry living near the town fled elsewhere. The general populace, influenced by the Nationalists’ propaganda such as the “Three Alls Policy” and “communism means sharing wives,” along with rumors spread by feudal forces, was thrown into a panic, with shops opening and closing intermittently. In the early hours of the 24th, over a hundred soldiers from the 3rd Company of the 37th Regiment (or 38th Regiment) of the 13th Division, stationed in Punan Market, received orders to advance into Changtai via the Punan–Puta highway. Around 9 a.m., they arrived at the north gate of the county town. Dai Dazhuan, Li Demao, and others fled in disarray. The Red Army troops passed through the ancient streets and made their way directly to the riverside pavilion and surrounding shop verandas near Longjin River at the east gate, where they rested. The army flag was hoisted and tied to the railing post at the head of the moat bridge, fluttering in the wind. Later, the troops were stationed at three locations: the east gate, the north gate, and the City God Temple. In the afternoon of the 24th, Red Army soldiers wrote slogans, conducted outreach, and confiscated ill-gotten wealth from local tyrants. On the morning of the 25th, the Red Army held a mass meeting in the town market, calling on workers and peasants to unite in revolution. After the meeting, the confiscated property was distributed to impoverished locals. In the afternoon of the 25th, the Red Army deployed several combat squads to detain local despots. Several poor youths from Xidong Village joined the Red Army ranks. In the early hours of the 26th, the Red Army was ordered to withdraw to Zhangzhou. They exited via the south gate, crossed to Guanzhan via Jingyuan Nanzhuang, then proceeded from Banshan through Wuliting back to Zhangzhou. To commemorate the three days during which the Red Army was stationed in Changtai, many locals came to refer to the riverside pavilion near Longjin River at the east gate as the “Red Army Pavilion,” as a testament to the Red Army’s presence in Changtai and a place for reflecting on this important historical episode.

During the old city redevelopment in 1999, the original site of the Monument Commemorating the Red Army's Entry into Changtai was preserved and elevated as a whole, with stone benches added inside the pavilion, further enhancing the scenery of the ancient Wuan Town.

Source: Party History Research Office of Zhangzhou Municipal Committee

Wuan Town: A town under the jurisdiction of Changtai County. It is the seat of the county government. Established as Wuan Town in 1940, it became Hongxing Commune in 1958, renamed Chengguan Commune in 1960, and restored as Wuan Town in 1984. Located in the lower reaches of Longjin River, it covers an area of 1,012 square kilometers with a population of 480,000. It is traversed by the Yingxia Railway and Jiaobo Highway. The town administers 11 village committees—Shili, Jishan, Oushan, Heting, Xidong, Gongshan, Zhuban, Chengguan, Jingyuan, Jinli, and Zhupu—and 4 neighborhood committees: Chenghe, Dengke, Zhongshan, and Luoshan. Major industries include transportation, building materials, and food services. The main agricultural products are rice, sugarcane, and fruit. … More details about Wuan Town ++