Former Residence of Martyr Guo Wenhuan

Former Residence of Martyr Guo Wenhuan

The former residence of Martyr Guo Wenhuan is a cultural relic protection unit of Fu’an City.

The former residence of Martyr Guo Wenhuan is located in Nanhu Community, Chengnan Subdistrict, Fu’an City. Dating back to the late Qing Dynasty, it is categorized as an important modern historical site and representative architecture.

It is situated at No. 66 Nanda Road, Nanhu Community, Chengnan Subdistrict, Fu’an City. Built in the late Qing Dynasty and facing west to east, it is a three-story, brick-and-wood courtyard building with a total width of 11.8 meters and a depth of 24.3 meters, covering a floor area of 286.7 square meters. The entire residence consists of front and rear courtyards, wing rooms, and the main house. The main house features a post-and-lintel frame with a flush-gable roof. The central bay on the upper floor is taller, and the walls of the central courtyard have shrines inset on the left and right sides. The main house has three bays in width and eight pillars in depth. The right side of the front courtyard houses the wing room, while the left side serves as the entrance passage. The lower eaves board of the shrine cabinet and the decorative window lattices inside feature exquisitely carved wooden components. This house was the residence of Guo Wenhuan, an important leader of the revolutionary base in the Soviet Area and a martyr. A memorial stele inscribed by Fan Shiren is preserved in the backyard, providing a significant physical resource for the study of the revolutionary history of eastern Fujian.

Guo Wenhuan (1900–1941), originally named Peiwen, also used the aliases Guo Ke, Li Xuan’nang, Duliu, and Guo Buqing, was born in 1900 in Nanhu, Fu’an County during the 26th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty.

Guo Wenhuan was quiet and studious, and in his spare time he learned electrical work. In the 11th year of the Republic of China (1922), when Fu’an established its first thermal power plant, he volunteered to be the technician. Learning by doing, he eventually succeeded in generating electricity, bringing electric lights to the county town for the first time. He once funded his own trial of hand-knitting socks at home, but had to return to working as a sales clerk in a department store due to the prevalence of foreign goods.

In the 16th year of the Republic of China, Guo Wenhuan connected with progressive youths who had returned from studying in Beijing. He read revolutionary publications such as New Youth. In the 18th year of the Republic of China, he joined the Chinese Communist Party in Fuzhou. Soon after, together with Chen Tiemin, he established the “Fu’an Branch of the Chinese Anti-Imperialist League” and the “Fu’an Branch of the Chinese Revolutionary Mutual Aid Society,” engaging in anti-imperialist activities. Taking advantage of his job selling books, he secretly introduced works such as ABC of Communism to intellectuals, and under the alias Li Xuan’nang, delivered internal party publications such as Red Flag for the Fuzhou Committee.

In the autumn of the 19th year of the Republic of China, the Fu’an County Committee of the Chinese Communist Party was established. He served as the head of organization and secretary of the Chengguan District Committee (later renamed Central District Committee), actively establishing party organizations in the central district and developing groups such as the “Revolutionary Mutual Aid Society” and the “Anti-Imperialist League.” The following year, he founded the monthly magazine Spark. In the 21st year of the Republic of China, he became a member of the Central County Committee.

In the 24th year of the Republic of China, the Nationalist Party deployed tens of thousands of troops to “encircle and suppress” the Soviet Area in eastern Fujian, and the revolution entered a low tide. Guo Wenhuan closely united his comrades and educated everyone to maintain their revolutionary integrity under any circumstances. By the end of that year, he and Chen Sike restored the Provisional Central District Committee and persisted in struggle within the white area.

In the 25th year of the Republic of China, he presided over the establishment of the “Struggle Committee” and served as secretary. In September of the 26th year of the Republic of China, the Fu’an County Committee of the Chinese Communist Party was re-established, and he was appointed secretary. Guo Wenhuan quit his job as a sales clerk to dedicate himself entirely to revolutionary activities. Leading more than ten party members and progressive youths, he joined the Fu’an “Anti-Japanese Support Association” and vigorously carried out the anti-Japanese salvation movement across the county. The Nationalist authorities were still “pursuing and suppressing” the Red Army in eastern Fujian. After several setbacks, they had no choice but to negotiate with the Red Army. Guo Wenhuan was ordered to actively mediate. At the time, CCP cadres Chen Sike and Lei Meifeng were imprisoned. Seizing the opportunity, he told Zhang Fuyi that only if those two led the way could he meet with the leaders of the Red Army, resulting in their release. After multiple negotiations, the Nationalist and Communist sides in eastern Fujian finally reached a ceasefire agreement.

In February of the 27th year of the Republic of China, after the Red Army marched north to resist Japan, he was ordered to stay behind and continue the struggle, serving as a committee member of the Special Committee and secretary of the Rear Base Office of the Sixth Regiment. Soon after, the Nationalist Party’s Security Second Brigade attacked the Rear Base Office, and Guo Wenhuan and others were arrested. They were released only after Fan Shiren, director of the New Fourth Army’s Rear Base Office, negotiated with Chen Yi. Later, he served as secretary of the CCP’s Eastern Fujian Special Committee. In July, he was elected as a member of the Fujian Provincial Committee. On September 10, while en route to Hengkeng in Zhouning County with Special Committee members Chen Sike and Guo Shugan to attend a committee meeting, he encountered the Nationalist Party’s Security Forces and was arrested. He was sent to the Provincial Security Office and detained in the Meilie Concentration Camp in Sanyuan. In prison, he established a secret branch and led the struggle within. Later, after his identity was exposed, he endured severe torture and fell seriously ill, suffering greatly before sacrificing his life in prison on February 2 of the 30th year of the Republic of China at the age of 41.

On February 20, 2013, the People’s Government of Fu’an City announced it as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit in the fifth batch.