Former Site of the Shangjing Red Army Mint

Former Site of the Shangjing Red Army Mint

The Former Site of the Shangjing Red Army Mint is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province and a classic red tourism attraction.

--The Red Army Mint was located in Shangjing Village, Jinggangshan City, approximately 6 kilometers northwest of Ciping, adjacent to the "Bamboo Garden."

--Using molds from Mexican silver dollars, the obverse side was stamped with a "Gong" (工) character, marking these as the first batch of metal coins issued and circulated by the red regime under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party within a revolutionary base area.

--In front of the mint stands a large model of the "Gong" character silver dollar, which visitors can pose with for photos. Inside, there are also original machines and various artifacts on display—this is a must-visit spot for coin collectors.

--Additionally, there is a touching story related to the "Gong" character silver dollar recorded here. You may hire a guide to learn more and appreciate the hardships behind the revolutionary victory and how great our triumph truly was.

The Red Army Mint was located in Shangjing Village, Jinggangshan City, approximately 6 kilometers northwest of Ciping, adjacent to the "Bamboo Garden." Since the establishment of the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base, due to enemy blockades, supplies were scarce, prices were high, and both soldiers and civilians lived in extreme hardship. To stimulate the economy of the base area.

In May 1928, upon the suggestion and recommendation of Wang Zuo, the Red Army headquarters collected a large amount of jewelry and silverware seized from landlords and battlefields. Using the casting techniques of the Xie family filigree workshop and with the guidance of master silversmiths Xie Huolong, Xie Guanlong, and other Xie brothers, they established the Jinggangshan Red Army Mint in Shangjing Village, borrowing the residence of local farmer Zou Jiagui. Minting workshops for rough casting and stamping were subsequently set up at Niulukeng in Shangjing, Tiekeng in Dajing, Ciping, and the Red Army caves at Jinshimian. Wang Zuo served as the main person in charge of the mint.

At the end of January 1929, enemy forces from Hunan and Jiangxi provinces assembled 18 regiments and launched the third “encirclement and suppression” campaign against Jinggangshan along five routes. The buildings of the Shangjing Red Army Mint were completely burned down by the enemy, and the minting equipment was also destroyed. As a result, this mint only existed for a little over half a year before ceasing operations with the fall of Jinggangshan.

The establishment of the Jinggangshan Red Army Mint and the issuance and circulation of the "Gong" character silver dollar successfully helped the soldiers and civilians of the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base get through those difficult times. It also laid the foundation and accumulated experience for the later establishment of mints in the Hunan-Jiangxi Revolutionary Base and the Central Soviet Area. It holds an important historical position in the monetary development history of China’s revolutionary regime.

To prevent enemy attacks and ensure the safety of the mint, most processes such as blank production and coin stamping were carried out in mountain caves within primeval forests—these are today known as the Red Army Caves in the Longtan Scenic Area of Jinggangshan. Processes like "coal washing," "engraving characters," "sounding," and "aging" were conducted at the site of the former "Red Army Mint" in Jinggangshan. Due to limitations in conditions and technology at the time, the mint could only work with rudimentary tools and locally sourced materials, producing just over 10,000 silver dollars and 1,000 kilograms of silver material.

At the original site of the mint, when locals restored the Red Army Mint to its former appearance, they unearthed a large number of items used during the minting process, including tools, raw materials, and silver dollars. These have become valuable historical materials for studying the Red Army Mint.

Time Needed

30 minutes

Transportation

Located in the Shangjing Scenic Area of Jinggangshan, you need to first reach Ciping Bus Station and then take an environmentally friendly shuttle bus to get there.

Admission

Included in the Jinggangshan ticket

Location

Ciping Town, Jinggangshan City

Further Reading: