Dingtao Martyrs' Cemetery

Dingtao Martyrs' Cemetery

Dingtao Martyrs' Cemetery is a Shandong Provincial-level cultural relics protection unit, a classic red tourism attraction, and a patriotic education base.

Dingtao Martyrs' Cemetery was established in 1969 and is located at the boundary of Heze-Shangqiu and Dingtao-Zhangqiu highways in the western part of the county town, covering a total area of 30 mu. It is a provincial-level revolutionary martyrs' memorial facility protection unit, a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit, a municipal-level patriotic education base, and a municipal-level "Education Base for Caring for the Next Generation." In recent years, Dingtao County has gradually increased its financial investment in the cemetery, formulated renovation and reconstruction plans, and followed the work guideline of “laying the foundation in the first year, achieving major changes in the second year, and reaching a higher level in the third year.” With a fund-raising of 4 million yuan, the site has undergone significant upgrades and improvements. The appearance of the cemetery has been transformed day by day, and it has now become a red patriotic and national defense education base that combines commemoration, education, and leisure.

Upon entering the cemetery, the "Dingtao Battle Heroes Square" comes into view, with the "Dingtao Battle Monument" standing prominently in the center of the square. The seven gilded characters shine brightly. The inscription on the monument was personally written in 1992 by Yang Dezhi, former First Secretary of the Shandong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army. Approved by the provincial party committee and government, the monument was constructed in 1993. It stands 16.2 meters tall with a base 1.95 meters high, and has a total of eight steps. In 2014, according to the cemetery’s planning, it was moved back 24 meters. After renovation, the monument appears tall and majestic, exuding a heroic spirit as it stands proudly, overlooking the ever-changing landscape of Dingtao. On both sides of the monument are two hexagonal memorial pavilions built in 1990, named the "Wang Keqin Pavilion" and the "Heroes Pavilion," commemorating Wang Keqin, a first-class combat hero who sacrificed his life in the battle to liberate Dingtao, and the unnamed heroes.

The Martyrs' Memorial Hall was built in 1969, expanded to 600 square meters on the north side in 1987, and underwent re-exhibition and renovation in 2012. The hall houses five provincial-level key cultural relics. In the center of the hall, a large screen displays video materials about the Dingtao Battle. The hall is divided into front and rear sections, each with six display panels. The front section showcases the history of the revolutionary struggle from 1921 to 1949 and information about the martyrs, including a display panel dedicated to Wang Keqin, a national "Double Hundred" figure and first-class combat hero who died in the famous "Dingtao Battle." The rear section displays information about martyrs who sacrificed their lives from 1949 to the present. A screen in the martyrs’ section lists the names of over 1,000 martyrs from the county. Display cabinets below showcase historical materials such as photographs and personal effects from different periods. The final section uses a comparison of past and present to display images of the significant achievements Dingtao has made.

At the rear of the cemetery, 23 named martyrs’ tombs surrounded and shaded by evergreen cypress trees were built in 1990. At the front is the section for unnamed martyrs, where the remains of 378 unnamed heroes are laid to rest. Two tomb inscriptions lying prone read in bold characters: “We don’t know where your home is, but the land of Qilu holds your loyal bones,” and “We don’t know your name, but the surging Yellow River consoles your spirit.” On the left and right sides are tombstones for 54 and 40 named martyrs respectively, which were erected in 2012 to consolidate management of those buried in scattered villages.

Since its establishment, Dingtao Martyrs' Cemetery has gone through the vicissitudes of time. On this red land under the blue sky and white clouds, it carries the infinite reverence and deep remembrance of the people of Dingtao. To meet the needs of the new era and new circumstances, the meticulously renovated and upgraded martyrs' cemetery now presents strong visual appeal and emotional impact. The management will continue to improve, providing increasingly scientific, standardized, warm, and high-quality services for the growing number of visitors paying their respects, ensuring this important patriotic education base continues to serve its role on an ongoing basis.