Martyrs' Memorial Hall of Fan Zhuxian

Martyrs' Memorial Hall of Fan Zhuxian

The Martyrs' Memorial Hall of Fan Zhuxian is a classic red tourism destination and a base for patriotic education.

The memorial hall is located on the east side of the southern end of Guangyue Tower North Street, facing south with its back to the north. It stretches 59.7 meters from north to south and 34 meters from east to west, covering an area of 2,040 square meters. The site is enclosed by a floral-patterned wall, with the main gate situated at the southern end of the western wall. In front of the gate stand a pair of exquisitely carved stone lions.

Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a courtyard lush with cypresses, pines, and evergreen shrubs. Walking eastward along the pathway, one encounters a stone stele that stands 2.3 meters high, 0.9 meters wide, and 0.3 meters thick. The stele records three orders issued by the political department of an Eighth Route Army unit on the eve of the liberation of Liaocheng in 1947. These orders were intended to protect the city’s cultural heritage from wartime damage:

(1) To salute solemnly at the tomb of national hero Fan Zhuxian;

(2) To protect the Haiyuan Pavilion, one of China’s four great ancient libraries;

(3) To protect the residence of Chinese historian Fu Sinian on North Street in Liaocheng.

On the wall next to the stele, there is a large oil painting depicting General Fan Zhuxian personally directing the city’s defense amid the smoke and fire of battle. The painting measures 5.2 meters in length and 2.6 meters in height.

At the center of the courtyard stands a black marble stele mounted on a red granite pedestal. The stele is 3.18 meters high, 1.46 meters wide, and 0.3 meters thick. The front bears ten golden characters inscribed by the Chairman of the Central Military Commission: “Martyrdom Site of National Hero Fan Zhuxian.” The reverse side contains a brief biography of the martyr Fan Zhuxian.

The main hall of the memorial is a traditional-style wooden structure with a single-eave hipped roof, covered with cylindrical tiles, featuring corridors at the corners and upturned eaves. The hall has five bays in width, with a 2-meter-wide open corridor beneath the eaves on the front and both sides. The space between the corridor pillars is fitted with railings and benches. Hanging centrally under the eaves of the hall is a wooden plaque inscribed with the words “Martyrs' Memorial Hall of Fan Zhuxian,” calligraphed by Mr. Liang Shuming. Inside the hall, a half-length white jade statue of General Fan Zhuxian is prominently displayed. Surrounding it are exhibits of the general’s personal belongings, as well as newspapers, magazines, and books from various periods that mourn, introduce, study, or praise the martyr. The side halls display poems and elegiac couplets written by party and state leaders and notable individuals in memory of Fan Zhuxian.

Today, the Martyrs' Memorial Hall of Fan Zhuxian has become a site for educating the public on revolutionary traditions, attracting a continuous stream of visitors paying their respects on regular days.

Fan Zhuxian (1881–1938), originally named Jinbiao, also known as Duokui, with the courtesy name Zhuxian, was a native of Guantao County, Hebei Province. He was a renowned national hero, anti-Japanese martyr, and patriotic military leader. In his early years, Fan joined the Beiyang Army. After the Xinhai Revolution, he served as commander of the 8th Brigade. In 1931, he returned to Shandong, where he held positions such as consultant to the Third Route Army, and served as county magistrate of Yishui and Linyi counties. He was known for his clean governance and earned the support of local communities.

In 1936, he was appointed as the Administrative Inspector of the Sixth District of Shandong Province, Commander of the Security Forces, and Magistrate of Liaocheng County. After the outbreak of the nationwide War of Resistance against Japan, he supported the Chinese Communist Party’s anti-Japanese stance and remained in northwest Shandong... More details about Fan Zhuxian++