Former Residence of Martyr Wang Zuo

Former Residence of Martyr Wang Zuo

The former residence of Martyr Wang Zuo is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

The former residence of Wang Zuo is located in Xiazhuang Village at the foot of Jinggang Mountain and is currently well preserved.

In 2009, the former residence of Wang Zuo in Xiazhuang Village, Jinggang Mountain, was listed as a cultural relic protection unit of Jinggangshan City.

Wang Zuo (1898–1930), also known as Yunhui, was born in 1898 in Suichuan County, Jiangxi Province. In his early years, he organized forces on Jinggang Mountain to fight against local tyrants and evil gentry. In early 1927, with the support of the Suichuan Peasant Association, he reorganized his troops into a peasant self-defense force. In July of that year, he assisted Yuan Wencai’s forces in capturing Yongxin County and rescuing imprisoned Communists and revolutionary masses. In October, he welcomed Mao Zedong’s Autumn Harvest Uprising troops to Jinggang Mountain, and his unit was integrated into the main force. In February 1928, he was appointed deputy commander of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Division of the 1st Army of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Revolutionary Army.

In April 1928, he joined the Communist Party of China. In May, he became deputy commander of the 32nd Regiment of the 1st Division of the 4th Red Army and concurrently commander of the 2nd Battalion, as well as a member of the Military Commission of the 4th Red Army. He was also elected as a member of the CCP Special Committee for the Hunan-Jiangxi Border Region. In July, he was appointed director of the Border Defense Committee of the Hunan-Jiangxi Border Region. He led the establishment of rear organs and five major guard posts in the Jinggangshan base area. Familiar with the local terrain, he fought bravely and achieved surprise victories in battles such as Longyukou and Huangyangjie, defending the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base.

In January 1929, when the main forces of the 4th Red Army advanced into southern Jiangxi and western Fujian, Wang Zuo led the 32nd Regiment to stay behind in Jinggang Mountain together with the 5th Red Army. He commanded part of the 32nd Regiment to hold Zhushachong, fighting for three days and nights and repelling dozens of enemy attacks. On January 30, when Kuomintang troops broke into the heart of Jinggang Mountain, and due to being outnumbered, Peng Dehuai led the 5th Red Army to break through toward Zhushachong and withdraw to southern Jiangxi to avoid greater losses. Wang Zuo remained in Jinggang Mountain and persisted in guerrilla warfare for over a month with extraordinary perseverance, achieving significant victories.

In mid-March, the Jiang-Gui War broke out, and most of the regular Kuomintang troops “suppressing” Jinggang Mountain withdrew. Wang Zuo saw an opportunity, led his troops to completely annihilate the defenders of Ninggang, and caused the enemies stationed at Tiancaoping and Baiyinhú, thinking the main Red Army had returned, to flee without a fight. Wang Zuo then pursued them and recaptured Jinggang Mountain.

In mid-April, Wang Zuo was appointed commander of the 1st Independent Regiment of the Red Army on the Hunan-Jiangxi Border. He led the regiment to recapture Ninggang’s Longshi, which had been temporarily occupied by reactionary forces. In early May, the Independent Regiment was incorporated into the 5th Red Army, and Wang Zuo was appointed commander of the 6th Column of the 5th Red Army. In July, he became commander of the 5th Column of the 5th Red Army. In early August, when Peng Dehuai led the 5th Red Army northward, Wang Zuo’s forces remained behind to defend the border. After the 5th Red Army left, reactionary forces from four counties including Yongxin and Chaling launched a joint “joint suppression.” Wang Zuo exploited the enemy’s weaknesses, commanded his troops in several days of fierce battle, and finally crushed the four-county “joint suppression” by reactionary forces.

In February 1930, he was falsely accused and killed in Yongxin, Jiangxi.