Red Army Ancient Buddha Pagoda Battle Site

Red Army Ancient Buddha Pagoda Battle Site

The Red Army Ancient Buddha Pagoda Battle Site is a cultural heritage site protected by Jiangle County and a classic red tourism destination.

The Red Army Ancient Buddha Pagoda Battle Site is located on Mount Juxia near Heping Village in Guyong Town, Jiangle County.

On January 2, 1934, the Central Revolutionary Military Commission ordered the Red 9th Army Corps to take over the defensive duties of the Red 7th Army Corps in Jiangle, instructing that “the main force of the 9th Army Corps should select and construct fortifications in the mountainous areas around Jiangle City.” The Ancient Buddha Pagoda became one of the important defensive positions used by the Red 9th Army Corps to build fortifications for the protection of Jiangle County. On March 4, 1934, the 4th Division of General Tang Enbo’s Eastern Route Army of the Kuomintang moved from Shunchang toward Jiangle in an attempt to support the 88th and 89th Divisions’ assault on the city. The Red Army promptly uncovered the enemy’s attack plans and decided to set up positions along the favorable terrain of Huangkengkou, Jishan, Moli, Xiacun, and the Ancient Buddha Pagoda Mountain (i.e., Mount Juxia) to confront the advancing enemy head-on. The 61st Regiment of the Red 7th Army had previously chosen strategic locations at Jishan and the Ancient Buddha Pagoda Mountain, where they constructed fortifications. Around 3 p.m. on March 6, when the 88th Division of the Kuomintang army arrived near the Ancient Buddha Pagoda Mountain, the Sugar Factory, and Shuinan, they suffered heavy losses and were forced to halt their advance. The 162nd issue of *Red China* reported on this battle under the headline “A White Bandit Regiment Defeated Near Jiangle City, Dealing a Heavy Blow to the Invading Enemy,” stating: “On the 6th of this month, an entire division of the enemy launched an attack on Jiangle from Jishan via Xinlukou, but was fiercely struck by one of our regiments. The enemy suffered five to six hundred casualties, and our forces captured a large amount of supplies.”

The Ancient Buddha Pagoda is a religious structure from the Ming Dynasty, facing southeast and situated northwest. It stands approximately 20 meters tall with an inner diameter of 2.5 meters, and is a seven-story hexagonal brick-and-wood structure. Inside the pagoda, a wooden spiral staircase is built along the walls; the inner walls are carved with floral patterns, and each level features brick-carved brackets under the eaves. The pagoda body is constructed from blue bricks of varying sizes (33×15 cm), laid in staggered joints, with the inner walls finished with lime plaster. Due to long-term neglect and lack of maintenance, most of the internal structure of the pagoda collapsed in the early 1980s.

The Red Army Ancient Buddha Pagoda Battle Site was designated as a cultural heritage site of Jiangle County by the Jiangle County People's Government in April 1985.

Source: Party History Research Office of the Sanming Municipal Committee

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