Xunwu Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery

Xunwu Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery

The Xunwu Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery is a classic red tourism attraction.

The Xunwu County Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery, located at No. 17 Shanshan Road, Chengxi Town, spans approximately 50,000 square meters with a total construction area of around 10,000 square meters. It is the largest county-level martyrs' memorial building protection unit in Ganzhou City. The cemetery houses the famous Monument to Martyr Gu Bai and a relief of the "March 25 Uprising." The Martyrs' Memorial Hall displays the deeds of 3,256 martyrs, forming a revered site that integrates a hall, monument, garden, and forest. It serves as a base for patriotic education and receives around 35,000 visitors annually from both within and outside the county.

The main gate of the Xunwu County Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery faces south and was inscribed by Comrade Bai Dongcai, former Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee. Within the cemetery are the Monument to Martyr Gu Bai, a bronze statue of Gu Bai, an exhibition on Gu Bai’s life, and a relief depicting the "March 25 Uprising."

In 1953, with approval from the Provincial Department of Civil Affairs, the County People's Government established the Xunwu County Revolutionary Martyrs' Memorial Hall in 1954. In the same year, a one-hall-four-room exhibition space was built, covering a construction area of 180 square meters, with five display rooms preserving information on 3,256 martyrs. Among them, the stories of 45 martyrs were displayed on panels.

Pan Yehuang, from Xiangshan, Xunwu County [1902–1928], was a member of the Communist Party of China. In 1927, he joined the Autumn Harvest Uprising with the Central Guard Regiment of the Nationalist Government, then returned to Xunwu to carry out revolutionary activities upon orders. Together with Communist Party members like Gu Bai, he secretly engaged in revolutionary work. That winter, he helped establish the Xunwu County Branch of the CPC and served as branch secretary. In March 1928, he participated in leading the Xunwu Uprising, overseeing the organizational work of the urban uprising with Gu Bai. After the uprising failed, he led a breakout but was captured and sacrificed.

Gu Bai, born in 1906 in Changning, Jiangxi (later renamed Xunwu, now Xunwu), attended Guangyi Middle School in Meixian, Guangdong, starting in 1920, and also worked as a teacher at Meixian Women’s Normal School. He participated in progressive activities. In December 1925, he joined the Communist Party of China. After the failure of the Great Revolution in 1927, he returned to his hometown to organize peasant associations and established the first CPC branch in Xunwu, engaging in revolutionary activities. In March 1928, he participated in leading the Xunwu Peasant Uprising and helped establish a guerrilla unit. In the spring of 1929, when the main force of the Fourth Red Army advanced from Jinggangshan to southern Jiangxi and arrived in Xunwu, part of the Red Fourth Army merged with local guerrillas to form the 21st Column, where he served as political commissar, leading guerrilla warfare. In October of the same year, he helped establish the Xunwu County CPC Committee, serving as secretary and chairman of the Military Committee, leading the establishment of the Xunwu Base Area and becoming chairman of the County Soviet Government. In May 1930, he assisted Mao Zedong in conducting the Xunwu Survey. Mao wrote in the “Xunwu Survey”: “The person who helped me organize this entire survey was Comrade Gu Bai, secretary of the Xunwu Party.” Later, Gu Bai was transferred to work alongside Mao Zedong, successively serving as secretary of the Front Committee of the Fourth Red Army and secretary of the General Front Committee of the First Front Army, dedicating himself fully to assisting Mao. During the period when Wang Ming’s “Left” adventurism dominated, Gu Bai firmly supported Mao’s correct positions, and as a result, he, along with Deng Xiaoping, Mao Zetan, and Xie Weijun, was wrongly criticized. He remained committed to truth, resilient and unyielding, and consistently worked loyally and actively for the Party.

After the main force of the Central Red Army began the Long March, Gu Bai stayed behind to continue the struggle, serving as commander of the Min-Yue-Gan Border Guerrilla Unit. In February 1935, he was sent to the Gan-Yue border to carry out guerrilla warfare. On March 6, he was surrounded by Nationalist troops in Yuanyang Pit, Shangping, Longchuan, Guangdong. He was killed heroically at the age of 29 while covering his comrades’ escape.

When news of the death of Gu Bai, a senior commander of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army, reached Yan’an, Mao Zedong personally inscribed: “My friend Gu Bai, handsome and vigorous, gave his life for the nation. His death is deeply mourned. May his fellow clansmen carry forward his legacy and achieve the goal of freedom and liberation together.”