Site of the Second Congress of the Chinese Communist Party’s Hunan-Jiangxi Border Region

Site of the Second Congress of the CCP’s Hunan-Jiangxi Border Region

Site of the Second Congress of the CCP’s Hunan-Jiangxi Border Region. Originally called Baiyun Temple, this building hosted the Second Congress of the CCP’s Hunan-Jiangxi Border Region from October 4 to 6, 1928.

This congress was held to review the struggles over the past year in Jinggangshan and further clarify the Party’s tasks, following the return of major Red Army forces from southern Hunan to Jinggangshan and the gradual restoration of border region work. The meeting was presided over by Comrade Mao Zedong, with over 100 representatives from local and army Party organizations in attendance, and lasted three days.

At the meeting, Comrade Mao Zedong delivered a speech titled “Political Problems and the Tasks of the Border Region Party” (i.e., the first part of the congress resolution). He provided an incisive analysis of the characteristics of the Chinese revolution based on the domestic political situation, clarified the reasons for the emergence and existence of China’s red political power, as well as the status of the worker-peasant armed stronghold in the Hunan-Jiangxi border region and the causes of the August defeat. Theoretically, he expounded on the idea of “worker-peasant armed stronghold.” This not only critiqued “Left” adventurism but also provided a powerful response to the “Right” pessimistic sentiment of “How long can the red flag last?”

The congress concluded that the Party branches in the border counties were almost entirely composed of peasants. Therefore, strengthening proletarian ideological leadership was a crucial issue. During the period of rapid Party expansion, many opportunists had infiltrated the Party, and when white terror struck, many of them defected (i.e., betrayed the cause). In response, the congress made a decision to strengthen the ideological development of the border Party, rigorously implementing Party purges across the border counties, strictly limiting Party membership, and dissolving and re-registering all Party organizations in Yongxin and Ninggang counties. After the purge, Party organizations shifted from public to covert operations, the number of Party members significantly decreased, yet their combat effectiveness increased.

The congress discussed and passed the “Resolution of the Second Congress of the CCP’s Hunan-Jiangxi Border Region” (the first part of which is “Why Can China’s Red Political Power Exist?”); addressed issues related to land, organization, and propaganda in the border region; passed the “Trade Union Organization Law”; and elected the Border Special Committee. Nineteen members were elected to the committee, including Mao Zedong, Zhu De, Chen Yi, Tan Zhenlin, Chen Zhengren, Zhu Changxie, Long Chaoqing, Liu Tiangan, Pan Yuanzhu, Tan Sicong, Tan Bing, Li Quefei, Zhu Yiyue, Yuan Wencai, Wang Zuonong, Wan Xixian, Wang Zuo, Yang Kaiming, and He Tingying. Tan Zhenlin was appointed secretary, and Chen Zhengren as deputy secretary.

The Second Congress of the CCP’s Hunan-Jiangxi Border Region unified the thinking within the border Party and vigorously advanced the construction of the base area. After the congress, soldiers and civilians in the border region worked together to transport grain up the mountains, fortify the five major passes of Jinggangshan, and build the Xiaojing Red Army Hospital, consolidating the two military bases of Jinggangshan and Jiulongshan. This led to a rapid recovery and development of the struggle in the border region.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units