Former Site of the Red 16th Army Headquarters

Former Site of the Red 16th Army Headquarters

The Former Site of the Red 16th Army Headquarters is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province and a classic red tourism attraction.

Former Site of the Red 16th Army Headquarters (Former Site of the Red 16th Army Headquarters & Regimental Headquarters)

There are two former sites of the Red 16th Army’s garrison: one is the headquarters site located in Xiyuan Village, Zhajin Town, Xiushui County, and the other is the troop garrison site in Genweilong, Dongyuan Village, Zhajin Town.

In November 1931, after learning that there were no Red Army forces in the Ma’ao and Zhajin areas of Xiushui, two regiments of the Nationalist Army’s Independent 32nd Brigade under Liu Yi and the Jiangxi Provincial Security Regiment advanced aggressively, attempting to occupy Xiushangshan in Xiushui — the base of the Hunan-Hubei-Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the Provincial Soviet Government. To thwart the enemy’s plan, the Red 16th Army Headquarters, along with one regiment, swiftly returned to Xiushui. Together with the Independent 3rd Red Division, the 1st and 2nd Red Guard Battalions of Xiushui, and local guerrilla forces, they used the mountain-surrounded terrain of Huangfang in Zhajin to set up an “ambush pocket.” A small force engaged the enemy in retreat to lure them deeper, while another force laid an ambush along the Ma’ao-Zhajin line, waiting to strike at Huangfangduan in Zhajin. On November 16, as the enemy advanced in three columns toward Huangfangduan, the ambushed Red 16th Army troops rose up. After fierce fighting, they captured one enemy regiment commander, four company commanders, over 300 officers and soldiers below the rank of platoon leader, seized 437 rifles, and over 40,000 rounds of ammunition. The remaining enemy fled in disarray toward the county seat.

The former site of the Red 16th Army Headquarters was originally a Roman-style house with a brick-and-wood structure, facing east and covering a construction area of 300 square meters. During the Army’s stay, some of the stone windows in the house were replaced with wooden ones, which have been preserved to this day. After the Red 16th Army withdrew, the Xiushui County Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the County Soviet Government also stationed here and held training courses for Soviet cadres, cultivating a large number of officials to develop and strengthen the Soviet area.

The former site of the Red 16th Army troop garrison was originally the residence of Xu Huaimin, situated across the river from the Roman-style house, facing west, also built with a brick-and-wood structure, and covering a construction area of 380 square meters. The northern part of the house was destroyed by fire when Red Army soldiers accidentally set clothing alight while drying it, leaving only ruins, while the central section still remains.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jiangxi Province