Battle Site of the Zhanglong Red Guards Unit

Battle Site of the Zhanglong Red Guards Unit

The Battle Site of the Zhanglong Red Guards Unit is a classic red tourism attraction.

The Battle Site of the Zhanglong Red Guards Unit is located in Pingxi Natural Village, Jitou Village, Gaoche Township, Hua’an County.

In June 1936, veterans of the Red Army Zou Tianbao and Zou Tianshui returned to Hua’an from Longyan and established the Zhanglong Red Guards Unit, outwardly known as a hunting team. The unit had over 100 members and operated in the areas of Hua’an and Nanjing. Thereafter, Zou Tianshui frequently contacted the Southern Fujian Special Committee, leading the Zhanglong Red Guards Unit in maintaining revolutionary struggles locally. In 1943, the Nationalist provincial security forces took advantage of the thick morning fog in the mountains, mustering over 100 troops to “encircle and suppress” the Red Guards’ base in Pingxi Village. At that time, most of the Red Guards were operating in Yingfu Township (now part of Nanjing), with only a few members stationed there. Outnumbered and outgunned, the enemy launched signal flares and bugle charges, launching a fierce attack on the Red Guards and ruthlessly ravaging the small village. They burned all houses, looted property, and killed or injured two civilians each. The Red Guards skillfully captured six straggling soldiers from the security forces and successfully exchanged them for seven captured villagers, most of whom were women and children. This brutal crackdown by the Nationalists left Pingxi Natural Village uncultivated for an entire year, bringing immense suffering to the local people. The Zhanglong Red Guards Unit often used this area as a base, conducting mountain guerrilla warfare in the surrounding regions until the Liberation War.

The building at the Battle Site of the Zhanglong Red Guards Unit covers an area of 450 square meters, featuring a traditional two-courtyard, five-bay structure with two stories, comprising 20 rooms, an upper and lower hall. It was burned down during the war, and the above-ground structures have long collapsed. Today, only the foundations, a pair of stone gate pillars, and a stone mortar remain.

Source: Party History Research Office of Zhangzhou Municipal Committee

Gaoche Township: Gaoche Township (located in Gaoche Village) is situated in the central-southern part of Hua’an County, governing three administrative villages (Qianling, Gaoche, and Jitou), covering a land area of 75.2 square kilometers, with a population of over 6,800.

Major Industries: (1) Industry: In 2004, industrial output reached 226 million yuan, a 20% increase; eight new industrial projects were launched with a total investment of 64.8 million yuan, of which 38.25 million yuan had been invested. In the first quarter of 2005, one new project went into operation, four were under construction, and six were under negotiation. (2) Hydropower Industry: 27 hydropower stations have been completed and put into operation... More details on Gaoche Township++