Da'an Red Tourism Scenic Area

Da'an Red Tourism Scenic Area

The Da'an Red Tourism Scenic Area is a classic red tourism destination, as well as a base for patriotic education and national defense education.

Da'an is located at the Fengshui Pass on the border between Fujian and Jiangxi, featuring rugged terrain that is easy to defend but hard to attack. Historically, it was a strategic military stronghold. Situated 27 kilometers northwest of the city center, the area is traversed by the Fu-Fen Highway, making transportation very convenient.

During the Soviet period in Northern Fujian, Da'an was surrounded by 45 natural villages, covering an area of 156.478 square kilometers. The party, government, military, and mass organizations of the Northern Fujian Soviet were headquartered on Da'an's main street, while institutions such as the party school, military school, schools, hospitals, and factories were distributed across nearby villages. Known as the capital of the Northern Fujian Soviet, it gained fame throughout the Fujian-Jiangxi-Zhejiang border region. Today, many revolutionary historical sites for visitors to pay tribute to and explore are concentrated along the roadsides of Da'an Street, forming a respected revolutionary historical village.

Along the roadsides of Da'an Street are the former (or surviving) sites of key red institutions such as the "Northern Fujian District Committee of the Chinese Communist Party," "Headquarters of the Northern Fujian Military District," "Bank of the Northern Fujian District," "Economic Department of the Northern Fujian District," "Communist Youth League of the Northern Fujian District," and "Women's Federation of the Northern Fujian District." The surrounding villages of Da'an Street host the former sites of factories producing and manufacturing farm tools, saltpeter salt, uniforms, as well as facilities for printing and tanning, reflecting the widespread industrial development of the Soviet area. The public, cooperative, and private commerce of the Soviet area traded in tea, timber, bamboo, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, paper, and essential goods for production and daily life, showcasing the flourishing commerce of the Soviet area. The Northern Fujian Arsenal had five departments—weapon repair, ammunition, artillery shells, casting, and new production—responsible for military supplies for over 10,000 armed personnel including one independent division, four independent regiments, six guerrilla brigades, and one Red Guards unit in Northern Fujian. At peak production, it manufactured over 1,000 various firearms per month, produced tens of thousands of shells, crafted two to three thousand hand grenades, and over 150,000 rounds of ammunition, all of which hold significant importance in the military production history of the Fujian-Jiangxi-Zhejiang and Central Soviet areas. The Northern Fujian Mint was tasked with printing paper currency and minting silver dollars. Silver dollars produced by the mint featured designs such as Lenin’s portrait, “Big Head” coins, and dragon coins, with over 100 minted daily and up to 4,000 per month at peak, reflecting the stable financial currency system of the Soviet area. The Northern Fujian Soviet also had foreign trade agencies, demonstrating that as early as the 1930s, Northern Fujian engaged in foreign trade, showcasing the leadership's boldness and open-mindedness. The Northern Fujian Soviet is one of the areas praised by Comrade Mao Zedong.

Legendary generals like Fang Zhimin led the Red Tenth Army on their second campaign into Fujian, entering Da'an Street via Fengshui Pass to join forces with the Northern Fujian Red Army. On their return to Northeastern Jiangxi, they also made a stop in Da'an for rest and reorganization. The resolute revolutionary Huang Dao arrived in Northern Fujian in July 1931 to serve as the District Committee Secretary, later becoming Secretary of the Fujian-Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the CCP. He spent seven years in Northern Fujian, creating the most glorious chapter of his revolutionary struggle.

In October 1934, after the Long March of the Central Red Army's main force, the Kuomintang mobilized 100,000 troops to besiege the Northern Fujian Soviet capital of Da'an from all directions. On January 25, 1935, the party, government, and military organs of the Northern Fujian District, along with affiliated units, evacuated the red capital of Da'an in three batches. This marked the beginning of the arduous three-year guerrilla warfare period in Northern Fujian. Since then, the highland forests of Fengshui Pass, Huanggang Mountain, and Qixing Mountain around Da'an became hiding and operational grounds for the Northern Fujian Red Army guerrillas.

The Da'an Revolutionary Struggle History Exhibition Room is housed within the former site of the Northern Fujian Soviet Government, located by the roadside of Da'an Street. It is a civilian house built in the late Qing and early Republican era, with a floor area of over 400 square meters. The exhibition room is divided into three sections: introduction, display rooms, and calligraphy room. It chronicles the fiery history of the Da'an people rising up in revolution under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party from 1928 to 1935, establishing party organizations and founding the Soviet government. It also showcases the glorious historical achievements and numerous historical documents from September 1931 to January 1935 when Da'an served as the political, military, economic, and cultural center of the Northern Fujian Soviet.

An underground passage, specially designed for emergency evacuation in case of enemy threats, is located within the former site of the Northern Fujian District Soviet Government. Similar in form to the northern tunnel warfare, it extends from underground indoors, passing beneath a street and emerging on the other side of a mountain. Known as the "Northern Fujian-style tunnel," it remains well-preserved today.

The Northern Fujian Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Pavilion is situated on the hillside by the bridge over Da'an Street, covering an area of about 30 square meters. The pavilion base is built of stone in the shape of a five-pointed star, with a 3-meter-high, 1.5-meter-diameter cylindrical monument at the center. The names of company-level and higher officers of the Northern Fujian Red Army who sacrificed their lives in battle are inscribed on this monument. The base of the pavilion is circular. Huang Dao, the District Committee Secretary of the Northern Fujian Soviet, often conversed with cadres here.

The Sidu Bridge Blocking Battle Memorial Pavilion is located at the bridgehead of Sidu Village, by the roadside leading to Da'an, 6 kilometers from the city center. The pavilion features traditional Chinese architecture and houses a stele engraved with an introduction to the Sidu Bridge Blocking Battle. In the summer of 1934, the Northern Fujian Red Army constructed fortifications on Firehawk Mountain at Sidu Bridge, which was the only land route to Da'an at the time. Leveraging the strategic position, the Red Army used homemade weapons such as "aisi cannons," earth-made firearms, and stone mines to repel dozens of enemy attacks, killing over 2,000 enemies and achieving remarkable success. In January 1935, as the Northern Fujian District Committee decided to evacuate Da'an and prepare for guerrilla warfare in the mountains, the enemy launched heavy artillery fire against the Sidu Bridge fortifications. The brave Northern Fujian Red Army held their ground for seven days and nights, buying crucial time for the safe evacuation of the Northern Fujian District Committee organs and creating a historically significant battle in the Northern Fujian Soviet.

The Site Where Martyr Chen Zhaoli Died is located on an earthen fort on Qima'zao (commonly known as "Wu Gong Ridge"), by the road leading to Da'an, 3 kilometers from the city center. Chen Zhaoli joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1925. In January 1927, he became Secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Committee of the CCP. In May of the same year, after attending the Party’s Fifth National Congress, he stayed on to work as a secretary at the Party Central Committee. In July, he was dispatched by the Central Committee to Wuyishan and Northern Fujian to establish the Party. In August, he helped found the Provisional Committee of the Northern Fujian CCP and served as its Secretary. Later, Chen Zhaoli held positions such as member of the Standing Committee of the Fujian Provincial Committee, Director of the Propaganda Department, and Acting Secretary of the Provincial Committee. In July 1929, he was transferred to Guangxi to serve as Secretary-General of the Provincial Committee, participating in the leadership of the Baise Uprising and serving as Political Commissar of the Red Seventh Army. In August 1940, while inspecting work in the Third War Zone as a member of the National Battlefield Committee, he was assassinated by Kuomintang agents in his car on the way from Wuyishan to Shangrao at Wu Gong Ridge, at the age of 33.

Fang Zhimin, from Yiyang County, Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province. Joined the Chinese Socialist Youth League in August 1922. Transferred to the Chinese Communist Party in March 1923. In January 1928, he participated in leading the Yiheng Uprising, founding the Northeastern Jiangxi Soviet, and organizing the 10th Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. He served as Chairman of the Soviet Governments of Northeastern Jiangxi and Fujian-Jiangxi-Zhejiang, Political Commissar of the 10th and 11th Armies of the Red Army, and Secretary of the Fujian-Jiangxi-Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the CCP. He combined the universal truths of Marxism with the realities of Northeastern Jiangxi, creating a comprehensive set of experiences in party building, army building, and establishing a red political power. Mao Zedong called him... [Fang Zhimin detailed information++]

Chen Zhaoli (1907–1940), also known as Chen Xizhou, Chen Daomin, and Chen Haoren, was from Fuzhou, Fujian Province. In 1924, he entered Fudan University in Shanghai, where he was influenced by revolutionary ideas and actively participated in... In March 1926, he joined the Chinese Communist Party and once served as Secretary of the Fudan University Party Branch. At the end of 1926, he was sent by the Party to return to Fuzhou to assist the Fuzhou Special Committee of the CCP. In January 1927, he became Secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Committee of the CCP, and in March of the same year, attended the Party’s Fifth National Congress in Hankou. After the congress, he stayed on to serve as Secretary of the Central Politburo Meetings Secretariat. After the failure of the Great Revolution... [Chen Zhaoli detailed information++]