Former Site of the Xida Arsenal of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region

Former Site of the Xida Arsenal of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region

The former site of the Xida Arsenal of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region is a cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province and a classic red tourism destination.

Former Site of the Xida Arsenal of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region

The former site of the Xida Arsenal of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region is located to the west of Xida Village, about 25 kilometers southeast of She County’s county town. It currently preserves cave dwellings and gable-and-hip roof tile, brick, earth, and wood structure factory buildings. The two are spaced over a hundred meters apart, distributed from east to west, with the cave dwellings on the eastern side. It is now a key cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province.

The factory buildings in the western section consist of two connected courtyards. Upon entering the first courtyard, a bathhouse is located to the right of the gate, facing west and built along an east-west orientation. It was specifically used for bathing by foreign experts who came to China at the time to provide technical guidance. The northwest corner of this courtyard connects to the second courtyard. The inner courtyard is enclosed by approximately 40 rooms on the south, north, east, and west sides, totaling around 40 structures. To facilitate production, the rooms were built with large spans and depths. Given that the factory was repeatedly bombed by enemy aircraft at the time, to ensure safe production, the army began digging caves in October 1947, completing them by the following spring. Thereafter, all production equipment was moved into the caves. The cave complex is 115 meters long, 2.3 meters wide, and 3.75 meters high, with a total area of 528.50 square meters, including a built-up area of 328.60 square meters. It has three main passageways, two entrances, and is internally divided into four workshops and one club. Except for the last 10 meters of the rear entrance, which are earthen construction, the rest is built entirely of blue stone with lime-mixed soil for jointing. The structure features an arched design, making the overall building relatively sturdy. The original iron gate of the site has been damaged and removed, and the earthen roof at the rear entrance has partially collapsed. Currently, the preserved structures include the gable-and-hip roof tile buildings and the arched blue stone cave dwellings, all in good condition. In the corners of the courtyard, production molds from that time are also stored.

According to cultural relics surveys and historical records, the Xida Arsenal of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region was initially established in early 1944 and relocated to the west of Xida Village in 1945. Its full name was “No. 3 Factory of the Arsenal Department under the Joint Financial Affairs Office of the Military and Political Commission of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Border Region.” Due to the needs of the situation at the time, it was publicly referred to as the “Welfare Factory,” locally known as the “Factory,” and because it was built to the west of Xida Village, it was commonly called the “Xida Arsenal.” The Xida Arsenal was built to safeguard the fruits of the War of Resistance victory, strengthen military preparedness, organize arms production, and eliminate invading enemies. It made significant contributions to the liberation of the entire nation.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Hebei Province