Site Cluster of the Red Fifth Army Battle in Zhouhu

Site Cluster of the Red Fifth Army Battle in Zhouhu

The Site Cluster of the Red Fifth Army Battle in Zhouhu is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

The Site Cluster of the Red Fifth Army Battle in Zhouhu (including the Former Site of the Red Fifth Army Headquarters (Cao Family Ancestral Hall), Red Army Slogan Group (residences of Cao Shengyuan and Cao Guangzong), Prisoner Detention Facility (Jingcheng Public Ancestral Hall), trenches on the mountainside of Dog-Crawl Ridge, bunkers on the western and eastern peaks of Dog Ear, bunkers and trenches on the western peak of Shuiwan, trenches on the eastern peak of Tingzi, bunkers on the eastern peak of Shuiwan, ancient path bunker on Dog-Crawl Ridge, the “Eighteen Mounds” Tomb Complex at Qingjiang Pool, Red Army Martyrs’ Cemetery)

The Red Fifth Army Battle Site Cluster is located in Caojia Natural Village of Sanhu Village, Zhouhu Town, Anfu County, Jiangxi Province, as well as around the “Dog-Crawl Ridge” mountain peak. An ancient mountain path leads directly to Guantian and Yongyang in Ji’an County. The “Dog-Crawl Ridge” mountain range is an eastward extension of the Luoxiao Mountain Range in southern Anfu. With dense forests and high elevations, it connects areas such as Yongxin and Ji’an.

During a follow-up survey of the “Red Army Slogan Group (county-level protected)” in the village, the survey team inquired about the historical background from local villagers. Retired officials from the former Anfu County Party Committee Office, including Cao Shengyuan, the village militia commander Liu Wenqing, village committee director Tan Zhongchang, clerk Yang Zanmei, party branch member Liu Qishan, and village party secretary Jiang Gusheng, provided oral accounts based on elders’ recollections about battles fought in the area by the Red Fifth Army under Peng Dehuai. Subsequently, the survey team conducted a comprehensive investigation.

Existing battle sites of the Red Fifth Army include: the Red Fifth Army Headquarters Command Post (former site of the Wangtun Township Soviet Government — Cao Family Ancestral Hall), temporary prisoner detention and re-education facility, Red Army slogan group (on the walls of two residences), trenches on the mountainside of Dog-Crawl Ridge, bunkers, bunkers on the western and eastern peaks of Dog Ear, trenches, bunkers on the western peak of Tingzi, bunkers on the western peak of Shuiwan, trenches, bunkers on the eastern peak of Tingzi, bunkers on the eastern peak of Shuiwan, ancient path bunker on Dog-Crawl Ridge, the “Eighteen Mounds” Tomb Complex at Qingjiang Pool, Red Army Martyrs’ Cemetery, public trial and training grounds, among others. Similar relics were also found in Shawuzhou, Sanwan, Hexiong Summit, and Qiwandong Ridge in Ji’an County, covering a total area of over 20,000 square meters.

The former headquarters command post (Cao Family Ancestral Hall) was partially burned down by Kuomintang troops; the temporary prisoner detention and re-education facility is relatively well-preserved, with related slogans found on its interior walls. The hilltop bunkers come in square and circular shapes, built along the natural contours of the peaks using a combination of stones and compacted soil, standing approximately 1–2 meters high. They feature inward-sloping recesses, with a square pit in the center of each (presumably for ammunition storage), and are generally well-maintained. These elevated bunkers offer wide visibility, allowing clear sightlines over nearby villages, roads, and fields in all directions, making them highly effective for vigilance and ambush — truly embodying the phrase “one man can hold the pass against ten thousand.”

The bunkers are mostly situated midway along mountain paths, flanked by deep ditches, with stone-covered tops that have now partially collapsed. The trenches follow the terrain, often belt-shaped, varying in length, most of which are now partially silted up. The “Eighteen Mounds” Tomb Complex is located at the foot of Qingjiang Pool, currently within Jian Tou Village, Ganluo Township. Due to modern agricultural development, only five mounds (sites) remain. Four Red Army Martyrs’ Cemetery sites are preserved in good condition, while the public trial ground remains largely intact. Additionally, local villagers have collected and preserved a number of weapons and tools used by the Red Army, such as knives, spears, and utensils.

According to historical records and interviews with local residents, this site cluster is one of the important Red Fifth Army battle sites in Anfu during the revolutionary struggle period at Jinggangshan. In July 1929, Peng Dehuai led the Red Fifth Army in their first attack on Anfu. They were ambushed by a joint force of the Kuomintang’s main engineering battalion and the militia at Yinbi Bridge in Henglong, Western Anfu. Army Chief of Staff Liu Zhizhi and Fourth Column Commander He Guozhong were killed, while Fifth Column Commander Li Can was seriously wounded. After the failed offensive, Peng Dehuai led the Fourth and Fifth Columns through Yongxin into Tianhe Town, Ji’an County, and the mountainous areas of Wen Yuan, Shimen Mountain, and Shenkou Mountain in Zhouhu Town, southern Anfu County, bordering Ji’an, for rest and regrouping. In late November of the same year, Peng moved his troops to Dog-Crawl Ridge in Sanhu Village to construct fortifications and set up battle positions. Using the tactic of luring the enemy in deep, they engaged enemies attacking simultaneously from both the southern direction (Ji’an) and the northern direction (Anfu) in intense fighting for a day and a night, inflicting heavy losses on the main Kuomintang forces — the 13th Ji’an Garrison Division, the 18th Zhu Yaohua Division’s Chengguangyao Brigade, and the Anfu City garrison. The victory resulted in the annihilation of three regular battalions, the defeat of three militia brigades, and the capture of over 700 rifles and tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition. This major success reversed the Red Army’s military situation in Anfu and neighboring counties. After descending the mountain, the troops mobilized the masses in the Sanhu area to fight landlords, distribute land, collect supplies, and establish a Soviet government.

Zhouhu Town: A town under the jurisdiction of Anfu County. It is a key town in southern Anfu and a major grain-producing area. In 1950, it comprised 10 townships including Zhouhu, Wangtun, and Baizhang. In 1958, these were merged into the Zhouhu Commune, restructured as a township in 1984, and established as Zhouhu Town in 1992. Located in the southern part of the county, the town government is seated in Zhouhu. It lies 29 kilometers from the county seat, covers an area of 180 square kilometers, and has a population of 37,000. Surrounded by mountains on three sides with plains to the east, it is traversed by the Chen River, the Fenwen Railway (Fenyi–Wenzhu), and the provincial highway between Anfu and Yongxin. The town administers the Zhouhu Street Neighborhood Committee and villages including Tangbian, Nanwang, Yaoling, Maotian, Wenyuan, Zhongzhou, Wangtun, and San... More detailed information about Zhouhu Town ++

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of County-Level Cultural Relic Protection Units in Anfu County

· Sixth Batch of Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units

· The sixth batch of Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units