Site of the Shangrao Concentration Camp

Site of the Shangrao Concentration Camp

The Site of the Shangrao Concentration Camp is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, a major historical and cultural site protected at the national level, a classic red tourism destination, and a patriotic education base.

The world-renowned Shangrao Concentration Camp was a historical product of the "Southern Anhui Incident." It primarily detained over 760 individuals, including New Fourth Army Commander Ye Ting, who was captured during negotiations in the Southern Anhui Incident, as well as New Fourth Army officers at the rank of platoon leader or above and patriotic progressives who were captured after running out of ammunition and supplies. The scenic area is located in the southern part of Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province (now within Maojialing Subdistrict). Covering a total area of 2 square kilometers, the site features commemorative structures such as the Monument to Revolutionary Martyrs, the Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall, and memorial pavilions, as well as 23 historical sites and ruins. The area is divided into five main sightseeing zones. The Shangrao Concentration Camp Scenic Area is a nationally key protected site for cultural relics and revolutionary martyr memorials, a national patriotic education demonstration base, one of China’s top ten red tourism bases, a classic red tourism destination, and a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

To commemorate the nearly 200 revolutionary martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the camp and to carry on their legacy, the Party and the people's government established the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery in Maojialing in 1955, subsequently constructing buildings such as the Revolutionary Martyrs' Tomb, the Monument, the Memorial Hall, and memorial pavilions. In August 1988, the cemetery was approved by the State Council as part of the second group of nationally key protected revolutionary martyrs' memorial buildings. Since then, it has been designated as a patriotic education base by the Nanjing Military Region and the Jiangxi Provincial Party Committee and Government. In 1996, it was jointly named a National Patriotic Education Base for Primary and Secondary Schools by the State Education Commission, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, the Communist Youth League Central Committee, and the General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army.

The Shangrao Concentration Camp Scenic Area has been rated as a national AAAA-level scenic spot and is also one of China’s top ten red tourism bases. On the morning of June 8, 2009, the Shangrao Concentration Camp Scenic Area held an unveiling ceremony for the "National AAAA-Level Tourist Attraction" plaque in front of the Martyrs' Memorial Hall. With this, the Shangrao Concentration Camp Scenic Area became the eighth attraction in Shangrao City to receive this designation. It is also the only red tourism site in Shangrao City to achieve national AAAA-level status. Cheng Jianping, Standing Committee Member of the Shangrao Municipal Party Committee and Minister of Propaganda, and Liao Qizhi, Vice Mayor, attended the ceremony and unveiled the plaque. The Party Working Committee and Management Committee of the Shangrao Concentration Camp Scenic Area placed high importance on the creation of a national AAAA-level tourist attraction. With the theme of "Cradle of the Red Revolution, Green Homeland," and with a long-term perspective, they upgraded infrastructure to high standards, developed unique tourism resources, improved comprehensive reception capacity and the overall quality of the scenic area, while further standardizing management, refining operations, implementing comprehensive improvements, and enhancing services. After nearly three years of effort, the site passed the inspection of the National Tourism Administration in December 2008 and was officially rated as a national AAAA-level tourist attraction in January 2009, becoming a new highlight of red tourism in Jiangxi Province.

Further Reading:

· Third Group of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level