Former Site of the Masses Daily Office

Former Site of the Masses Daily Office

The Former Site of the Masses Daily Office is a cultural relic protection unit of Shandong Province, a classic red tourism attraction, and a patriotic education base.

After the establishment of the Shandong Branch of the Chinese Communist Party, to guide and inspire the unity and struggle of the anti-Japanese military and civilians in Shandong, expose the atrocities of the Japanese invaders and the despicable acts of reactionary elements and traitors, the Masses Daily was first published on January 1, 1939, as the official newspaper of the Shandong Branch of the CPC Central Committee. Its editorial department was located in Wangzhuang Village, Xiawei Town, Yishui County, and the printing plant was in Yuntouyu Village, 3 kilometers northeast of Wangzhuang. The first director was Liu Daosheng, with Kuang Yaming, and the head of the printing department was Yu Yichuan. The printing department was stationed in Yuntouyu Village, with the lithography room and mimeograph room each consisting of three western-style rooms, the office of the head being three northern rooms, and the bookbinding room two eastern rooms, all of which still exist today.

To ensure the successful publication of the Masses Daily, local revolutionary masses gave tremendous support to the newspaper office. Chen Zhongfang, head of the Women’s Salvation Association in Yuntouyu Village, organized progressive youths to protect the printing machines, while the progressive woman Liu Maoju offered her newly built bridal house to be used as the printing workshop. When the Japanese army launched a “mopping-up” operation in central Shandong, the newspaper office evacuated voluntarily, and 15 progressive youths from Yuntouyu Village followed the troops in retreat—none of them survived.

Xiawei Town: Located 30 kilometers west of Yishui County, Xiawei Town governs 51 administrative villages with a population of 53,000. The town enjoys convenient transportation, with the Yanshi Railway, Cao-Yao Road, Guo-Wang Road, and Zhang-Wang Road intersecting here, forming an extensive transportation network. The town center is 50 km east of Yishui Railway Station, 85 km from Rizhao Port, 200 km from Qingdao Port, 89 km south of Linyi Airport, and 50 km west of the [highway name].

Xiawei Town is rich in mineral and tourism resources. Mineral resources include abundant deposits of iron, lead, copper, quartz sand, stone materials, and potassium feldspar. The tourism resources are reputed to be... More details about Xiawei Town++

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Shandong Province