Former Site of the Red First Front Army Headquarters

Former Site of the Red First Front Army Headquarters

The Former Site of the Red First Front Army Headquarters is a classic red tourism attraction.

Former Site of the Red First Front Army Headquarters:

Located at the "Hou Gong Ancestral Hall" in Hou Gong Village, Zuofang Town. The ancestral hall has a history of over 400 years, faces south and backs north, with brick walls on all four sides, covering an area of more than 700 square meters. The hall floor is entirely paved with bluestone slabs, and the side rooms are covered with wooden planks; it is divided into upper and lower halls, with a central courtyard, and the beams are supported by a post-and-lintel frame held up by 32 large round logs; the lower hall has a pair of double wooden doors facing out onto endless fields; there are also two side doors, just wide enough for one person to pass through—one leads directly into the village, while the other leads into the forest.

On January 4, 1933, the Red Army fought a successful annihilation battle in Huangshidu, Nanfeng County, capturing over 3,000 enemy soldiers, including the enemy brigade commander Zhou Shida. After the battle, in the evening, over 30,000 soldiers from the First, Third, and Fifth Corps of the Red First Front Army entered the Zuofang area to set up camp. Commander Zhu De also crossed Ma'er Ridge and arrived in Hou Gong Village, setting up the Red First Front Army Headquarters in the Hou Gong Ancestral Hall. The Political Department was stationed in Wangjia Warehouse. Zhu De stayed in a farmhouse to the left of the ancestral hall, separated by a bamboo grove. To guard against air raids by the Nationalist planes, at dawn the next day, Commander Zhu De led a dozen soldiers to dig a large dugout in the bamboo grove beside the ancestral hall. It had two entrances, could fit two eight-immortal tables inside, and accommodate over ten people. This place also became a meeting spot for Red Army officers... In Hou Gong, Zhu De attended a rally to mobilize prisoners to join the Red Army and a struggle session against two local opium addicts (who had burned down civilian houses, falsely accused the Red Army, and sowed discord between the Red Army and the local populace), where he gave speeches. At that time, a folk song circulated in the village: “In the winter of the year 1932 (Gregorian calendar: January 1933), snow was falling, the Red Army crossed Cat Mountain (also known as Ma’er Ridge); they crossed the stream and passed through dense woods, marching triumphantly into the county town. Every household rose early, news spread from village to village; people gathered in twos and threes, happily welcoming the Red Army. Gongs sounded, firecrackers popped, men, women, old and young were all smiling; the Red flag flew over Jinxi City, the wind blew the clouds away and the sky cleared!” Elders in the village can still hum this tune to this day. Inside the ancestral hall, signs written by the Red Army at the time can still be found, such as “Miscellaneous Room,” “Kitchen,” “Storage Room,” and “Sick Bay,” as well as propaganda slogans like “Smash the Enemy’s Large-Scale Offensive,” “Down with the Kuomintang, the Running Dogs of Imperialism,” and “Welcome Brothers from the White Army to Join the Red Army.”

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