Gu Wenchang Memorial Hall

Gu Wenchang Memorial Hall

The Gu Wenchang Memorial Hall is a classic red tourism destination and a patriotic education base.

Before liberation, Dongshan Island was plagued by sandstorms and barren land. “Bald mountains and rocky peaks, scarce trees and grass with water as precious as oil. Ruthless winds and sands destroyed fields and homes, making three meals a day hard and driving people away” was a true reflection of the time. Lao County Party Secretary Gu Wenchang, who came south with the army to liberate Dongshan, led the local people through countless trials and developed a plan to build dikes to block the sand, plant grass to stabilize it, and grow trees to prevent it. He identified the casuarina tree as suitable for Dongshan and initiated a countywide tree-planting campaign. By 1964, 82,000 mu of forest had been planted, covering over 400 small hills and more than 30,000 mu of barren beaches, essentially greening the area. A “green great wall” was built along the 141-kilometer coastline.

In 1987, the people of Dongshan buried his ashes in the Chishan Forest Farm, which he had helped establish. In 1999, with donations totaling 1.2 million yuan from all sectors of Dongshan, the Gu Wenchang Mausoleum was built on the site, featuring a statue and tomb of Gu Wenchang. The Gu Wenchang Memorial Hall was established with approval from the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and opened in February 2004.

In 2012, the site was expanded and planned as the Gu Wenchang Memorial Park. The park consists of the existing Gu Wenchang Memorial Hall, mausoleum, statue, management building, as well as supporting facilities under construction such as a memorial square, Dongshan Achievement Exhibition Hall, parking lot, and park landscaping, covering an area of about 170 mu. Meanwhile, the road from Shanzhi Village to the memorial hall was planned and built as an eco-tourism island road, with greening, lighting, and beautification, forming a scenic boulevard. It also connects surrounding shelter forests, Black Pearl Sightseeing Garden, and Sand Plants Garden, creating an ecological scenic area centered on the Gu Wenchang Memorial Park. This has become a multifunctional educational base integrating ideological training, red tourism, and eco-sightseeing. The memorial hall itself covers an area of 2,000 square meters, with a building area of 1,335 square meters and a protected area of 8,000 square meters, housing 800 exhibits including photos, artifacts, and historical items. To further enhance the memorial hall’s quality and impact, in line with the General Office of the CPC Central Committee’s directive to “build the memorial hall into a national patriotic education base for learning and promoting the spirit of Gu Wenchang,” the Dongshan County Party Committee and County Government aimed to “make the Gu Wenchang Memorial Hall a model base for party member training, a classic red tourism destination, and a model for landscaping.” They planned at a high standard, upgraded the original memorial hall, rearranged the exhibits, added modern multimedia audiovisuals, installed an automated audio guide system, and structured the overall exhibition into seven sections: “The Old Dongshan, Governing for the People, Hard Struggle, Seeking Truth and Being Practical, Committed to Development, Today’s Dongshan, and Eternal Remembrance.” ——, ——, ——, ——, ——, ——, ——, and other Party and state leaders have inscribed words in tribute to the spirit of Gu Wenchang.

It is now recognized as a “Fujian Provincial Patriotic Education Base,” “Provincial Model Base for Party Member Training,” “Fujian Provincial Integrity Education Base,” “Provincial Party History Education Base,” and “On-site Teaching Base of the Provincial Party School,” among others.

Chishan Forest Farm, Chencheng Town, Dongshan County

Transportation: Along Xichen Avenue, 6 kilometers from the county town

Opening Hours: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM daily

2:30 PM – 5:00 PM, open year-round

Tel: 0596-5877120

Admission: Free

Source: Zhangzhou Municipal Party History Research Office

Gu Wenchang (October 1915 ~ January 1981), originally named Cheng Shuan, was from Guojiazhuang, Shibanyan Township, Lin County, Henan Province. His family had been farmers for generations and lived in poverty. As a child, he begged during famines, and later worked as a farmhand and learned stonework. He joined the Communist Party of China in March 1943, serving as district head of the 7th, 10th, and 2nd districts of Linbei County and as Party secretary of Rencun District. In January 1949, he moved south with the army. On May 12, 1950, Dongshan was liberated, and Gu Wenchang became secretary of the First District Working Committee of the CPC Dongshan County Committee. He later served as organization minister, county head, and county… More details on Gu Wenchang++

Chencheng Town: Known for its abundant resources and talented people, Chencheng Town is located in the southeast corner of Dongshan County, surrounded by sea on three sides. It covers an area of 56 square kilometers, one-third of the county’s total area; its 53-kilometer coastline accounts for 30% of the county’s total, and its sea area spans 26,300 square kilometers. The town has 31 natural villages, 13 administrative villages, and a population of 33,000. It has 17,500 mu of arable land and 18,500 mu of forest land, 70% of which is sandy soil, earning it the reputation of “Oasis of the East Sea.” It is a major export agriculture base of Dongshan County and has been recognized by the provincial Party committee and government as a “Top 100 Township…” More details on Chencheng Town++