Former Site of the Duchang Liaison Office of the New Fourth Army

Former Site of the Duchang Liaison Office of the New Fourth Army

The Former Site of the Duchang Liaison Office of the New Fourth Army is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province and a classic red tourism destination.

Former Site of the Duchang Liaison Office of the New Fourth Army

In early December 1937, Tian Ying, a member of the Northeastern Jiangxi Special Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and Secretary of the Duchang-Hu-Poyang-Peng Central County Committee, led the Wushan Guerrilla Unit of the Red Army to Yaoli in Fuliang for reorganization into the New Fourth Army. According to arrangements made by Comrade Chen Yi, Tian Ying led the members of the Central County Committee back to Duchang in late January 1938, establishing the Duchang Liaison Office of the New Fourth Army on Dakeng Street. They actively carried out activities promoting Kuomintang-Communist cooperation and joint resistance against Japan. However, the reactionary forces of the Kuomintang regarded Tian Ying and others as thorns in their side, determined to eliminate them. On April 6, 1938, they dispatched over 300 armed men to surround the New Fourth Army Liaison Office on Dakeng Street, brutally killing Tian Ying and six other comrades, creating a shocking anti-Communist massacre in northeastern Jiangxi. Comrade Zhou Enlai instructed the Xinhua Daily to publish news reports and editorials, strongly condemning the Nationalist government for the anti-Communist atrocity in Duchang. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the remains of martyrs such as Tian Ying were relocated and reburied in a martyrs' cemetery located 0.7 kilometers southwest of Dakeng Street. This site has since become an important revolutionary education base in Duchang.

Old Street of Dakeng Town, Duchang County

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jiangxi Province