Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery of Northwest Shandong

Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery of Northwest Shandong

The Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery of Northwest Shandong is a cultural relic protection unit of Liaocheng City and a classic red tourism destination.

The Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery of Northwest Shandong, also known as the Zhangba Martyrs' Cemetery, is a cultural relic protection unit of Liaocheng City. It is located in the northwest corner of Dongzhangba Village, Dawangzhai Township, Shenxian County, approximately 20 kilometers from downtown Shenxian County. As the largest revolutionary martyrs' cemetery in Liaocheng City, it serves as a base for patriotic education.

Built in 1945 and facing south, the cemetery spans around 100 acres, making it the largest revolutionary martyrs' cemetery in the Liaocheng region. It measures 740 meters in length from north to south and 170 meters in width from east to west, covering a total area of 125,800 square meters (188.7 acres). The cemetery is laid out with its main entrance to the south and consists of a gatehouse, a memorial tower, and memorial rooms. The gatehouse features classical Chinese architectural design. The memorial tower stands 18 meters tall, has an octagonal shape on all four sides, and follows a pavilion-style structure, with a floor area of 100 square meters. Below it is a 3-meter-high square brick platform with sides measuring 11 meters. The second level of the tower is inlaid with eight stone tablets, engraved with inscriptions personally written by leaders of the party, government, and military from the Jilu-Yu Border Region during that time, as well as the names of 925 martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the revolution. Among them, there were 3 division-level officers, 10 regiment-level officers, 6 battalion-level officers, 9 company-level officers, 102 platoon-level officers, and 643 squad leaders and soldiers. At the very top sits a giant red star. The eight memorial tablets, reconstructed from old steles, are all embedded on the first level. The southern-facing tablet bears seven large red characters reading "Revolutionary Martyrs' Memorial Tower." The other tablets respectively feature the inscription of the "Monument of the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery of Northwest Shandong," the "Eight-Year Resistance Timeline of the Military and Civilians of Northwest Shandong," the "Record of the Liberation of Shenxian County," and the biographies of three martyrs—Xiao, Zhang, and Shi. The remaining three tablets list the names of 925 martyrs from six counties—Shenxian, Guanxian, Linqing, Wuxun, Guantao, and Yongzhi—as well as those from other regions. The memorial rooms display elegiac couplets handwritten by Comrades Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Zhu De, along with photographs and stories of some of the martyrs. At the northern end of the cemetery lie 23 tombs of martyrs such as Xiao Yongzhi, Zhang Bingyuan, and Shi Qichen, which were jointly built in 1945 by the Party, government, military, and civilians of Northwest Shandong. The site is covered with lush pines and cypresses that remain green year-round, towering poplars, orchards in neat rows, blooming flowers, and more. The entire cemetery is solemn and dignified yet vibrant, serving as an important site where the cadres and masses of Liaocheng City receive revolutionary traditional education.

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