Former Site of the Party Branch of the Minjiang River Shipping Company

Former Site of the Party Branch of the Minjiang River Shipping Company

The former site of the Party Branch of the Minjiang River Shipping Company is a cultural heritage conservation unit of Fujian Province and a classic red tourism attraction.

The former site of the Party Branch of the Minjiang River Shipping Company is located at No. 151 (formerly No. 79) Zhongping Road, Taijiang District, Fuzhou City.

In the summer of 1945, the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China decided to establish the Minjiang Working Committee and sent Zhuang Zheng to Fuzhou to carry out urban work. At that time, Zhang Zhanggan, who was serving as a courier, took advantage of his uncle Zhang Yiyu working at the Minjiang Shipyard to actively engage in activities among the workers. Su Hua and others, recognizing the importance of the Minjiang shipping route in connecting Fuzhou with the revolutionary bases in northern Fujian such as Nanping, Gutian, and Jian'ou, placed great emphasis on developing the organization within the Minjiang River Shipping Company. They instructed Liang Baotong to focus on recruiting party members among the crew. Following instructions from their superiors, Liang Baotong successively worked as an assistant engineer on the passenger-cargo ships “Kaifeng,” “Tibet,” and “Lanzhou,” recruiting Yi Lihui, Chen Meihui, and Yao Lianxiang as members of the Chinese Communist Party. In 1946, the Party Branch was officially approved and established, with Liang Baotong serving as the branch secretary. After its establishment, the Party Branch of the Minjiang River Shipping Company continued to grow and strengthen as it united and led the masses in the struggle against the Kuomintang reactionaries. The branch developed a total of 18 party members. The underground Party Branch of the Minjiang River Shipping Company was a grassroots party organization directly established by the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China in the early post-war period among industrial workers in Fuzhou. Both the branch and the higher-level party organizations placed great emphasis on strengthening their political and ideological education, enhancing their political awareness, and enabling them to make positive contributions to the Party’s cause.

Most of the Party members of the Minjiang River Shipping Company Party Branch served as engineers, assistant engineers, assistant operators, and sailors on the passenger-cargo ships running between Fuzhou and Nanping. This made the waterway a safe and reliable “underground route,” which successfully completed numerous tasks assigned by the organization.

First, escorting comrades of the underground party to ensure their safety. The Nationalist army set up checkpoints at the docks and along roads, as well as on ships. Comrades of the underground party traveling to and from revolutionary bases in northern Fujian, Nanping, Gutian, and Jian’ou were often subjected to inspections and interrogations, making their journeys unsafe. After its establishment, the Party Branch of the Minjiang River Shipping Company, following organizational arrangements, took on the responsibility of escorting underground party members to ensure their safety.

Second, transporting supplies. In the winter of 1947, due to the rapid expansion of guerrilla forces across various regions, the underground Party Branch of the Minjiang River Shipping Company undertook the task of transporting supplies such as radios, firearms, ammunition, cloth, and medicine.

Third, safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of workers. The Minjiang River Shipping Company severely exploited and oppressed its workers, subjecting them to heavy labor, low wages, and frequent layoffs and pay cuts. After its establishment, the Party Branch united the workers to actively fight against exploitation and oppression. This not only expanded the Party’s influence among the people but also provided cover for the Party Branch’s various activities and operations.

Fourth, fully committing to the battle for the liberation of Fuzhou. In the spring of 1949, the People’s Liberation Army successfully crossed the Yangtze River and liberated major cities such as Nanjing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. In May, under the leadership of the local armed forces directed by the Fujian–Zhejiang–Jiangxi Regional Committee, these forces, together with our army, liberated areas in northern Fujian, Jian’ou, and Nanping. All Party members of the Minjiang River Shipping Company Party Branch, under the leadership of Su Hua at the Fuzhou liaison station, actively coordinated with the army in the liberation of Fuzhou. On August 25, 1949, eight days after the liberation of Fuzhou, the Minjiang River Shipping Company Union — a mass organization of the company’s workers — was officially established. Zhang Dingcheng, Chairman of the People’s Government of Fujian Province, and other provincial leaders attended the celebration and spoke highly of the heroic struggle carried out by the Minjiang River Shipping Company workers under the Party’s leadership.

The former site of the Party Branch of the Minjiang River Shipping Company was built in the early years of the Republic of China. It has a construction area of 901 square meters and is a two-story building made of blue bricks with a fusion of Chinese and Western architectural styles. The exterior features a Western style, while the interior follows traditional Chinese design. The central part of the building has an atrium, flanked by side rooms. The main structure is on the north side, with three bays wide and four columns deep, featuring a post-and-lintel frame with a flush gable roof. The sides consist of brick-and-wood structures with overhanging corridors connecting them to the main building.

In November 1992, the former site of the Party Branch of the Minjiang River Shipping Company was designated as a municipal cultural heritage conservation unit by the Fuzhou Municipal People’s Government.

(Source: “Overview of Revolutionary Sites in Fuzhou City”)