Former Residence of Comrade Mao Zedong in Ciping

Former Residence of Comrade Mao Zedong in Ciping

The Former Residence of Comrade Mao Zedong in Ciping is a cultural tourism attraction and a classic red tourism site.

In May 1928, Zhu De and Chen Yi led part of the troops from the Nanchang Uprising to Jinggangshan to join forces with Mao Zedong. After that, Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and other comrades deployed battles here on multiple occasions, thwarting several military "offensives" by enemy forces from Hunan and Jiangxi. Mao Zedong’s former residence is located in the center of Dajing Village and is commonly known as the "White House." This house has a total of 44 rooms, five courtyards. Mao Zedong and the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army first stayed here when they arrived in Dajing, and it later became Mao Zedong’s residence in Dajing. At that time, five farming households and the local militia led by Wang Zuo also lived here. At the end of January 1929, this building was burned down by the enemy, leaving only a section of the ruined wall, two trees behind the house, and a large rock on the front lawn. In 1960, the local government restored the building to its original appearance, embedding the ruined wall into the new wall as a memorial. The large rock in front of the house is called the "Reading Stone" because Mao Zedong often sat on it to read, study, and review documents.

From October 1927 to January 1929, Comrade Mao Zedong often lived and worked in the right rear room of this house. Here, he drafted the "Report of the Front Committee of the Communist Party in Jinggangshan to the Central Committee," also known as "The Struggle in Jinggangshan," on behalf of the Jinggangshan Front Committee. This work systematically and comprehensively summarized the experience of establishing the Jinggangshan revolutionary base from a theoretical perspective and articulated the innovative concept of "armed agrarian revolution."

The Front Committee of the Communist Party in Jinggangshan was also housed in the central hall of the building. Comrade Mao Zedong presided over numerous party, government, and military meetings here to plan the work of the base. On January 14, 1929, Mao Zedong led the main force of the Fourth Red Army to leave Jinggangshan. This building was burned down by reactionary forces in February 1929 and was restored in 1961, being listed as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit. In 1961, the people of Jinggangshan restored the site to its historical appearance for public visits. On March 4 of the same year, the State Council designated the "Former Residence of Comrade Mao Zedong and the Site of the Front Committee of the Communist Party in Jinggangshan" as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Mao Zedong’s Former Residence in Ciping is situated at the foot of Dongshan Mountain in the center of Ciping, facing the picturesque Yicui Lake. Originally, it was the home of a local farmer. When Mao Zedong led the Autumn Harvest Uprising forces from the Hunan-Jiangxi border region to Ciping, he resided here. For over a year, every time Mao Zedong came to Ciping, he lived and worked in the right rear room of the central hall of this house. In November 1928, the reorganized Front Committee of the Communist Party in Jinggangshan was also headquartered here.

At that time, the living conditions of the Red Army were extremely harsh, and the furnishings in Mao Zedong’s bedroom and office were very simple. The bed, tables, and chairs all belonged to the landlord’s family. On a long wooden table with peeling paint, there was only an oil lamp, a lantern, an inkstone, and some writing brushes. Except when attending meetings, going out, or engaging in battle, Mao Zedong often worked here day and night, reading documents, writing articles, and formulating battle plans.

Winters in Jinggangshan are particularly cold. Mao Zedong, like the Red Army soldiers, wore only two thin shirts, slept on a straw mat, and covered himself with a thin cotton blanket. Sometimes, during late-night work, his hands would become too numb from the cold to function, so he would drape the cotton blanket over himself for warmth. To conserve oil, the army stipulated that officers at the battalion level and above could use three wicks per lamp for evening work, while soldiers on guard duty could use only one. By this rule, Mao Zedong could have used three wicks while working at night, but he insisted on using just one. Under the light of a single-wick lamp, Mao Zedong drafted the brilliant work "The Struggle in Jinggangshan" and the four-character "Proclamation of the Fourth Red Army." Later, after capturing one or two lanterns, the troops offered them to Mao Zedong, but he never used them for evening work, only for evening meetings or when going out. This lantern is now displayed in the bedroom as a precious revolutionary relic.

Admission Ticket

Included in the through ticket, 190 RMB

Location of the Attraction

Southwest of Jinggangshan, 7 km from Ciping

Jinggangshan

Huangyangjie

Ciping Scenic Area

Longtan Waterfall Group

Maoping Octagonal Building

Site of the Ancient City Meeting

Tongmuling

Jinggangshan Revolutionary Sites