Site of the Japanese Atrocities Massacre at Linggong Temple during the War of Resistance Against Japan

Site of the Japanese Atrocities Massacre at Linggong Temple during the War of Resistance Against Japan

The Site of the Japanese Atrocities Massacre at Linggong Temple during the War of Resistance Against Japan is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

The “Site of the Japanese Atrocities Massacre at Linggong Temple during the War of Resistance Against Japan,” commonly referred to as Linggong Temple, is located on Zhelin Street in Tangnan Town, covering an area of approximately 450 square meters with a nearly square floor plan (missing the northwest corner). The site is currently under the use, protection, and management of the Tangnan Town Cultural Broadcasting Station (which includes the town’s judicial office).

Linggong Temple, also called Zhangwang Temple, was built to commemorate Zhang Xun, the Tang Dynasty governor of Suiyang. Legend has it that it was first built during the Song Dynasty, but after numerous renovations, its original appearance has been completely altered. Only the temple hall and the ancient stage within the courtyard date back to the late Qing Dynasty. The main hall of the Linggong Temple is a five-pillar, three-bay raised-beam wooden structure. The front of the hall features a stone memorial archway, with a stone lion on each side. The ancient stage has a “convex” floor plan, with a hip-and-gable roof. The main pillars at the front of the stage are adorned with carved brackets and hanging columns, while the center of the stage is covered by a recessed nine-tiered caisson ceiling. The stage floor is 1.2 meters high, supported by bare pillars underneath.

On the 18th day of the seventh lunar month in 1942, over a hundred Japanese invaders launched an attack on Tangnan from their bases in Fanjia, Youkou, and Zhoucun, Mahaohehu. They carried out an inhumane “three alls” (kill all, burn all, loot all) scorched-earth campaign, slaughtering the residents of Zhelin Street. According to incomplete statistics, on that day alone, more than 860 innocent civilians were killed, 723 houses were burned down, and countless valuables were looted. At the massacre site, only Zhang Guijiao and her child survived by hiding under the stage.

Approximately 500 meters north of Zhelin Street in Tangnan Town lies the Changwan Highway. Linggong Temple is situated at the eastern end of Zhelin Street in Tangnan Town. Five meters to its east is now the site of the Tangnan Town Police Station, while to its west it faces the Tang (Nan) – Jing (Kou) Highway. Eight meters to its north across the road are ordinary residential buildings.

Linggong Temple is one of the sites witnessing the atrocities committed by Japanese imperialism against the Chinese nation and the massacre of innocent civilians. On December 28, 1987, the People’s Government of Jiangxi Province designated it as a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

Tangnan Town: Located in the northeast of Nanchang County—the capital county of Nanchang City—Tangnan Town lies along the lower reaches of the Fu River and by the shore of Poyang Lake. It borders Jingkou Township to the east, Youlan Town to the south, Maqiu Township of the High-Tech District to the west, and Wuxing Farm to the north. It is a large town in the Jiangnan region with a history of over 2,000 years. The area is mainly plain terrain, with an average elevation of 23.6 meters across the town. The land slopes slightly higher in the northwest and lower toward the southeast. It stretches about 25 kilometers from east to west and about 4.8 kilometers from north to south, covering a total area of 120 square kilometers. The central area where the town government is located has a relatively higher elevation, averaging 24.5 meters above sea level. The total area of the town is 120 square kilometers... More detailed information about Tangnan Town++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jiangxi Province