Former Site Memorial Museum of the Command Headquarters of the Southwest Shandong Campaign

Former Site Memorial Museum of the Command Headquarters of the Southwest Shandong Campaign

The Former Site Memorial Museum of the Command Headquarters of the Southwest Shandong Campaign is a classic red tourism destination and a patriotic education base.

The Former Site Memorial Museum of the Command Headquarters of the Southwest Shandong Campaign was established in May 2009. It serves as a base for revolutionary tradition education and patriotic education, built against the historical backdrop of the Southwest Shandong Campaign. The museum’s name was inscribed by the former Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission.

The museum is situated on the eastern bank of the Songjiang River in the eastern part of Yuncheng County, enjoying a superior geographical location and convenient transportation. Covering a total area of 56,000 square meters, with a planned investment of 41.34 million yuan, the museum complex has a construction area of 9,600 square meters. Major structures include a 7,000-square-meter main exhibition hall, an 800-square-meter auxiliary exhibition hall, a 30-meter-high Revolutionary Martyrs Monument, a 5,000-square-meter memorial square, a 6,000-square-meter landscape area, a national defense education zone, and a martyrs' cemetery. Currently, the museum grounds display a Qiang-5 fighter jet, a Type 59 tank, and two 122mm artillery pieces. The main exhibition hall houses a large collection of precious historical photographs and war relics, featuring 256 cultural artifacts related to the Southwest Shandong Campaign and the Communist Party history of Yuncheng County, including four classified as valuable cultural relics. Through artistic displays, the museum recreates the intense battle scenes, showcases the heroic spirit of the Liu-Deng Army who fearlessly faced danger and sacrifice, and highlights the outstanding contributions made by the industrious and courageous people of Southwest Shandong in supporting the front lines and establishing New China.

The museum has been successively recognized as part of the fourth group of “National Patriotic Education Demonstration Bases,” the second group of “National Red Tourism Classic Sites,” and a “Shandong Provincial Patriotic Education Base.” Since its opening, it has been open to the public free of charge and was included in the national list of free-access cultural institutions by the National Cultural Heritage Administration in 2011.

Introduction to Key Figures Related to the Base

Liang Renqian (1912–1941), originally named Liang Yuzhen, was from Hongwangzhuang Village, Wu’an Town, Yuncheng County. From 1933 to 1937, he studied at the senior high school department of Jinan No.1 Provincial Middle School. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1935. During his time at the school, he served as the underground Party branch secretary. In the summer of 1937, the Party assigned him to Southwest Shandong to mobilize the masses, establish Party organizations, and carry out revolutionary activities. During this period, he held positions such as head of the Southwest Shandong Work Group, Secretary of the Yuncheng-Ju-Juye-Heze Border Region County Party Committee, Political Commissar of the Eighth Detachment of the Eighth Route Army, the first anti-Japanese county magistrate of Yuncheng, and Secretary of the Yuncheng Central County Party Committee. In 1941, he went to Yan’an to attend the Seventh National Congress of the Communist Party of China but passed away in Yan’an that same year.

Xu Qiu (1903–1940), originally named Xu Qiuxiang, was from Pingjiang County, Hunan Province. He participated in the Autumn Harvest Uprising in 1927, joined the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army in July 1930, and became a member of the Chinese Communist Party the same year. He took part in the Long March of the Red Army. He served as a staff officer of a regiment under the First Front Army of the Red Army, head of the logistics department of the Southwest Shandong Military District, and commander of the Eighth Sub-district of the Jinan-Ji-Lu-Yu Military District. In September 1940, during an ambush battle in Nan Zhao Lou Township, Yuncheng County, he was unfortunately shot and died a heroic death due to being outnumbered.

Luo Mingxing (1897–1939), courtesy name Ying San, was from Luolou Village, Yuncheng County. After the September 18th Incident, Luo, who had fled to Jilin to escape famine, refused to submit to Japanese rule. He united with coal mine workers and formed an anti-Japanese militia in Jiutai County, Jilin Province, known as the “Sanjianghao” Volunteer Salvation Army. This force fought across more than ten surrounding counties and repeatedly inflicted heavy blows on the Japanese army. In July 1933, the “Sanjianghao” Volunteer Salvation Army joined the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army led by Yang Jingyu and was incorporated as the 19th Detachment, with Luo Mingxing serving as detachment commander. In November 1938, he was unfortunately arrested due to betrayal by a traitor and was brutally executed by the Japanese puppet army.

Fan Cheng (1913–1947) was from Luzhuangke Village, Yuncheng County. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1937. In 1938, he participated in the Southwest Shandong Anti-Japanese Self-Defense Corps (also known as the Wo Wo Team). In March 1939, he took part in the famous Fanba Battle. Later, he worked in the civil affairs department of the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army, holding positions such as propaganda officer, political instructor, squadron leader, and district party committee secretary. From 1944 to 1947, he served as director of the Military Affairs Committee of the Third Sub-district of the Jinan-Ji-Lu-Yu Military District and director of the Armed Forces Department of the Southern Shandong Military District. In June 1947, he encountered the enemy in Pingyi County and heroically sacrificed his life after five days and nights of fierce fighting.

The national defense education zone displays a Qiang-5 fighter jet, a Type 59 medium tank, a Type 66 152mm howitzer, a Type 54 122mm howitzer, and other decommissioned military weapons donated by the Equipment Department of the People’s Liberation Army.