Former Site of the Red Army Field Hospital at Dripping Rock Cave

Former Site of the Red Army Field Hospital at Dripping Rock Cave

The former site of the Red Army field hospital at Dripping Rock Cave is a Fujian Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a classic red tourism destination.

The former site of the Red Army field hospital at Dripping Rock Cave is located northwest of Pingbu Village, Chengguan Township, Mingxi County.

From 1930 to the winter of 1934, the Red Army conducted revolutionary struggles in Mingxi County and established multiple field hospitals. In January 1931, the logistics department hospital of the newly formed 7th Red Army Division was set up at Yanggong Temple in Fengxi Village, equipped with simple hospital beds. In July, the 4th Red Army and the 3rd Red Army Corps set up a temporary Red Army hospital at Xiecuowan Ancestral Hall in Xuefeng, treating over 100 wounded and sick soldiers. In December 1932, the Red Army established a hospital in Chenjia Mansion (now within Chenjia Alley) on the west side of the county town. In the summer of 1933, the Red Army set up a hospital in Zengjia (currently the location of the County Guesthouse) on the west side of the town, with over 30 medical personnel, more than 20 hospital beds, but evacuated along with the army that winter. In August 1933, the Eastern Red Army set up temporary hospitals at Lijia Mansion on Ruxue Street, Yangjia Mansion inside Dongmen City, and Caijia Mansion outside Ximen, accommodating over 300 wounded and sick soldiers. In early 1934, as the Eastern Red Army moved through the county town and Xiayang to attack the 52nd Division of the Nationalist Army under Lu Xingbang in Sha County, they established temporary hospitals at Dripping Rock Cave, Lijia Mansion on the west side of the city (current location of the Agricultural Bank), and Chenjia Mansion, treating around 250 wounded and sick. On January 25, the Red Army captured 540 wounded and sick enemy soldiers in Sha County and sent them to Mingxi for treatment. In October of the same year, the Fujian–Jiangxi Provincial Government and Military District set up a temporary Red Army hospital at Yanggong Temple in Fengxi Township, Pingxi County, treating approximately 120 wounded and sick. After the main force of the Red Army moved on, the field hospital also evacuated.

The Red Army hospitals were not only responsible for treating soldiers’ illnesses and injuries but also undertook propaganda work. Upholding the principle of “healing the wounded and rescuing the dying,” they provided free medical care to local residents, carried out public health and epidemic prevention campaigns, conducted weekly major clean-ups, and required that no ash or manure be placed where people slept, while public areas and ditches were cleaned and cleared in rotation.

The former site of the Red Army field hospital is a limestone karst cave facing south, covering an area of 5,000 square meters. There are over 30 stone inscriptions both inside and outside the cave. At the top of the cliff at the cave entrance are Ming Dynasty celebrity cliff inscriptions with large characters such as “Jade Hollow Cave Heaven,” “Nature’s Marvelous Opening,” and “Heavenly Jade Nectar.”

To commemorate the historical role of the Red Army field hospital, the CPC Mingxi County Committee and the People’s Government of Mingxi County erected a stone tablet at Dripping Rock Cave, inscribed with “Red Army Field Hospital.”

The former site of the Red Army field hospital was designated as a Mingxi County Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the Mingxi County People’s Government in April 1987, and was announced as a Mingxi County Patriotic Education Base by the CPC Mingxi County Committee and the People’s Government of Mingxi County in November 1995.

Pingbu Village: Located in the northern suburbs of the county town, about 2 kilometers from the county seat, Pingbu Village is one of the old revolutionary base villages in Mingxi County. The village has 5 natural villages and 12 villager groups, with a total of 734 households and 2,497 people. Of these, 520 people work or do business outside the area, including 160 overseas. The total land area is 14,162 mu, including 2,190 mu of arable land, 7,276 mu of forested land, 130 mu of orchards, 630 mu of tobacco fields, and 1,676 dan of tobacco purchased.

Key construction projects include the development of the new Pingbu Village and two service projects for the county’s “Five Major...” More details about Pingbu Village++

Further reading:

· Ninth Batch of Fujian Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units