Former Site of the Liu-Deng Army’s River-Crossing Command Post

Former Site of the Liu-Deng Army’s River-Crossing Command Post

The Former Site of the Liu-Deng Army’s River-Crossing Command Post is a classic red tourism destination and a patriotic education base.

The Former Site of the Liu-Deng Army’s River-Crossing Command Post Memorial Hall is located in the center of Shaha Cliff Village, Shouzhang Town, Yanggu County. It lies 7.5 kilometers north of Yanggu and about 10 kilometers south of the Yellow River.

In 2012, the Former Site of the Liu-Deng Army’s River-Crossing Command Post was expanded on its existing foundation to include the Liu-Deng Army’s Yellow River Crossing Campaign Memorial Hall and the River-Crossing Square. The entire site was named the Liu-Deng Army’s Yellow River Crossing Campaign Memorial Park and was fully completed and opened to the public in 2014.

The Liu-Deng Army’s Yellow River Crossing Campaign Memorial Park is located in Shaha Cliff Village, Shouzhang Town, Yanggu County. In 1947, Commander Liu Bocheng and Political Commissar Deng Xiaoping directed 120,000 troops of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army here to force a crossing of the Yellow River, breaking through Chiang Kai-shek’s heavily fortified river defense line. This marked the shift of the People’s Liberation Army from strategic defense to strategic offense.

The memorial park covers an area of approximately 3,430 square meters and is divided into three parts: the River-Crossing Square, the Liu-Deng Army’s Yellow River Crossing Campaign Memorial Hall, and the Former Site of the Liu-Deng Army’s River-Crossing Command Post.

The River-Crossing Square is designed with two tiers, symbolizing the two visits made by the two leaders to this site. At the center of the square stands a 1:1 scale granite statue depicting the two leaders standing on a boat, leading soldiers across the river. Including the base, the statue is 4.763 meters tall, representing June 30, 1947, when Liu and Deng led their forces in breaching the treacherous Yellow River. On the north and south sides of the statue, there are 13 stone tablets briefly introducing the 13 years of close collaboration between the two leaders from 1938 to 1950.

The memorial hall mainly includes exhibition halls, a multimedia 3D screening room, a visitor service center, and offices. The exhibition halls feature a large number of photographs, texts, films, and historical artifacts, providing a detailed account of the background and consequences of the Liu-Deng Army’s Yellow River crossing. The exhibits are divided into eight sections: pre-campaign situation, preparation for the crossing, the crossing itself, the battle, civilian support for the army, the collaboration between Liu and Deng, the revolutionary history of Yanggu, and carrying on the legacy.

The command post site consists of two courtyards: the front courtyard housed the river-crossing operations room and the guards’ room, while the rear courtyard was where Liu and Deng, along with the landlord, lived at the time. The rooms display statues, river-crossing battle maps, telegraph machines, telephones, and other items, authentically recreating the scene of the leaders directing operations and living under harsh conditions in Shaha Cliff. Next door, the home of Jiang Guangli, the village chief, is a distinctive example of traditional Western Shandong architecture. During the crossing, it was converted into the command post’s kitchen and infirmary. Jiang Guangli set up a civilian support headquarters at home, mobilizing villagers to form transport and stretcher teams to dig trenches, deliver ammunition, military rations, and care packages, ensuring the smooth progress of the PLA’s river-crossing and support operations.