Former Site of the Command Post of the Battle of Quanshang Ambush during the Battle of Quanshupu Fortress

Former Site of the Command Post of the Battle of Quanshupu Fortress and the Quanshang Ambush

The former site of the command post of the Battle of Quanshupu Fortress and the Quanshang Ambush is located at No. 9, Kongkeng, Yanxiang Village, Quanshupu Town, Ninghua County.

Quanshupu Fortress is located in Luoli, Quanshupu, occupying a key location at the junction of Ninghua, Qingliu, and Gui counties. It was a necessary route from southeastern Jiangxi through Ninghua to the central inland areas of Fujian, as well as from western Fujian to northern Fujian, thus holding great strategic importance. In early July 1933, when the Red Army’s Eastern Army entered Fujian, over 1,200 troops of the 307th Regiment of the 52nd Division of the Nationalist Army, along with local militias from Ninghua and other counties, along with more than 120 local households, had taken refuge inside Quanshupu Fortress. This not only threatened the security of nearby revolutionary bases but also posed a significant obstacle to the Eastern Army's eastward advance.

Based on the tactical situation between enemy and friendly forces, the Red Army’s Eastern Army decided to adopt the “besiege the stronghold, strike the reinforcements” strategy—first eliminating Quanshupu Fortress and the reinforcing Nationalist troops, and then completely annihilating the 52nd Division of the Nationalist Army under Lu Xingbang. For troop deployment, the 5th Red Division was assigned to lead the assault on Quanshupu Fortress, while the 4th Red Division and the Independent 7th Division were tasked with intercepting reinforcements. On July 7, the 15th Regiment of the 5th Red Division launched attacks on Hongdonggang and Tiantishan, quickly capturing these two Nationalist positions and surrounding Quanshupu Fortress.

After being surrounded, the defenders made several unsuccessful attempts to break out and prepared to hold the isolated fortress to the bitter end. While urgently requesting reinforcements from their division headquarters, they also strengthened fortifications, hoping to stubbornly hold out until relief arrived, counterattack when possible, and reverse their defeat. The commander of the 52nd Nationalist Division stationed in Yong’an, Lu Xingbang, immediately dispatched the 156th Brigade, led by Brigade Commander Zhang Xinglong, personally commanding the 309th Regiment to reinforce the 307th Regiment. The 4th Red Division under Commander Hong Chao and Political Commissar Peng Xuefeng of the Red Army’s Eastern Army were ordered to set up an ambush in Yanxiang with the 4th Red Division and the Independent 7th Division to block the reinforcing enemies. The command post was set up in the civilian residence of Yang Xianshen in Kongkeng, Yanxiang. Yanxiang is located southeast of Quanshupu and adjacent to Songxi in Qingliu. The mountain path from Quanshupu to Yanxiang is flanked by towering, verdant peaks, with a narrow valley running between them—a terrain that is both strategically treacherous and highly defensible, yet unavoidable for any reinforcing troops. It was thus the ideal spot for an ambush. On July 9, Brigade Commander Zhang Xinglong of the 156th Brigade and Regiment Commander Lu Shengbin (son of Lu Xingbang) of the 309th Regiment arrived in Yanxiang in two bamboo rafts. As the Nationalist troops entered the ambush zone, the 4th Red Division and the Independent 7th Division of Ninghua launched an attack. After one hour of fierce fighting, over 400 troops of the 309th Regiment were completely annihilated, including more than 100 killed (including Brigade Commander Zhang Xinglong) and over 300 captured (including Regiment Commander Lu Shengbin), along with the seizure of over 400 rifles and 4 light machine guns. The victory in both the assault and the ambush left the defenders of Quanshupu Fortress completely isolated and without hope of reinforcement, creating favorable conditions for the eventual capture of the fortress.

The former site of the command post of the Battle of Quanshupu Fortress and the Quanshang Ambush is now the residence of villager Yang Xianshen. The house faces southeast and is situated to the northwest, covering an area of 298 square meters. Built during the Qing Dynasty, it is a typical well-preserved example of traditional Hakka architecture, featuring a rolled shed roof and a post-and-lintel wooden-brick structure. The overall building remains in good condition, with two intact Red Army slogans and one victory report still preserved on its interior walls.

Yanxiang Village: Yanxiang Village is the most remote high-mountain administrative village in Quanshupu Town, Ninghua County. It lies at the junction bordering Ninghua, Qingliu, and Mingxi counties, at an elevation of 700 meters, 15 kilometers from the town center, with a total area of 41.25 square kilometers. The village has 11 villager groups, comprising 278 households and a population of 1,185, residing across six natural villages. The village includes 300 acres of arable land and over 60,000 acres of forested land, including over 10,000 acres of bamboo forests. With vast land, sparse population, beautiful mountains and rivers, pleasant climate, and no pollution, it is an attractive and promising summer resort destination with development potential.

…… Detailed information about Yanxiang Village++