Former Site of the First Communist Party Branch in Southern Shandong

Former Site of the First Communist Party Branch in Southern Shandong

The Former Site of the First Communist Party Branch in Southern Shandong is a cultural relic protection unit of Linyi City and a classic red tourism destination.

The First Communist Party Branch in Southern Shandong was established in the autumn of 1928 at the site of the Third Middle School on Heping Street in Matou, with Liu Zhiyan serving as the branch secretary.

Mr. Liu Zhiyan (1905–1933) was a major founder and pioneer of the Chinese Communist Party in the Linyi, Tancheng, Feixian, and Yixian regions of southern Shandong, and the first secretary of the Tancheng County Committee and the Lin-Tan County Committee of the Party. After joining the Chinese Communist Party in 1924, Liu Zhiyan launched a series of anti-imperialist and anti-feudal activities centered in Matou within Tancheng County. In 1928, he was hired to teach at Matou Qiusuo Primary School (which became the Third Public Primary School of Tancheng County in the autumn of 1929). From then on, using teaching as a cover, he organized and mobilized progressive teachers and students to read works by left-wing writers, spread the truths of Marxism-Leninism, introduce the peasant movements and revolutionary deeds from the south, and actively carry out Party activities. In the autumn of 1929, the Party branch of the Third Primary School of Tancheng County was established here (later known as the First Branch in Southern Shandong), and it initiated a series of major revolutionary actions. In July 1933, in order to relieve the pressure of the counter-encirclement campaigns faced by the Central Soviet Area, Liu Zhiyan and others organized and led the shocking “Cangshan Uprising” in southern Shandong. Ultimately, due to the overwhelming disparity in strength between the enemy and us, Liu Zhiyan and others sacrificed heroically. Liu Zhiyan composed a magnificent chapter in his short life, and his spirit has inspired generations of young people in Tancheng to strive for the communist ideal.

Matou Town: Enduring Through the Ages, Yet Still Flowing. The Yi River winds its way from north to south for hundreds of miles, making a sharp turn to the west just north of Matou Town in Tancheng County, then flowing southward for about 45 li after bending west for approximately 2 li, eventually entering the canal via Xutangkou in Pizhou. For many years, it has flowed ceaselessly, with the sounds of cattle in the day and roosters at night. It is this 90-degree bend that has made Matou Town, situated on the south bank of the Yi River, a place of hidden talent and exceptional spirit, a feng shui treasure land that attracts wealth and prosperity, and a shining pearl along the banks of the Yi River.

Matou Town is connected to the county seat to the east and borders the Yi River to the north. It boasts a beautiful environment and pleasant climate. The town covers an area of 87 square kilometers... More detailed information about Matou Town++