Former Site of the Headquarters of the Ji-Lu-Yu Military Region under the Central Plains Bureau of the CPC Central Committee

Former Site of the Headquarters of the Ji-Lu-Yu Military Region under the Central Plains Bureau of the CPC Central Committee

The former site of the headquarters of the Ji-Lu-Yu Military Region under the Central Plains Bureau of the CPC Central Committee is a cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province and a classic red tourism destination.

The former site of the headquarters of the Ji-Lu-Yu Military Region under the Central Plains Bureau of the CPC Central Committee is located in Danguai Village, southeast of Qingfeng County. From 1944 to 1945, the Central Plains Bureau and the military region's offices, along with the Northern Bureau led by Deng Xiaoping, were stationed here successively. They led the Eighth Route Army and the military and civilian forces of Ji-Lu-Yu in brave combat, achieving the final victory in the War of Resistance against Japan.

In November 1943, in order to strengthen unified leadership over the Ji-Lu-Yu and Ji-Nan regions, the CPC Central Committee decided to establish the Ji-Lu-Yu Bureau (Central Plains Bureau), which would oversee the Party committees of both Ji-Nan and Ji-Lu-Yu. On May 11, 1944, the Ji-Lu-Yu and Ji-Nan regions were merged, and their respective Party committee offices were abolished, with all local committees (12 in total) placed directly under the Bureau’s leadership. The merged Ji-Lu-Yu Military Region was headed by Commander Song Renqiong, with Huang Jing serving as Political Commissar, Wang Hongkun and Yang Yong as Deputy Commanders, [Name] as Deputy Political Commissar, Cao Lihuai as Chief of Staff, and Zhu Guang as Director of the Political Department. It comprised 11 military sub-districts and the Shuidong Independent Regiment. In July 1944, after Huang Jing returned to Yan’an for medical treatment, Song Renqiong acted as Secretary of the Central Plains Bureau. In September 1944, the Bureau and military region offices moved to Danguai. At that time, since Peng Dehuai and Liu Bocheng were still studying in Yan’an, Deng Xiaoping, Secretary of the Taihang Bureau, acted as Secretary of the Northern Bureau. On January 23, 1945, to strengthen work in the Ji-Lu-Yu base area, the CPC Central Committee issued instructions to the Northern Bureau: the Ji-Lu-Yu base area had seen tremendous development recently, with a population of nearly 20 million, making it the largest base area behind enemy lines. However, most rent and interest reductions had not yet been carried out, various policies were not yet fully standardized, and the mass foundation of the base area remained unstable. Therefore, the Central Committee proposed that the Northern Bureau promptly move to Ji-Lu-Yu to carry out work, mobilize the masses broadly, implement thorough rent and interest reductions, and further consolidate the base area. It emphasized that the Northern Bureau must personally go to the plains to work and assist the Bureau in accomplishing this great task. After preparations in February, Deng Xiaoping, Acting Secretary of the Northern Bureau, arrived in the central revolutionary base area of the Ji-Lu-Yu Border Region—Puyang—with over 20 staff members including Liu Xiwu, Head of the Organization Department, and Li Dazhang, Head of the Propaganda Department, in early March. They initially stayed at Lijialou near the Bureau’s offices, and half a month later, moved into Danguai Village.

The civilian houses where the leaders of the Ji-Lu-Yu Military Region lived and worked in Danguai Village still stand today, including the former residences of Comrade Deng Xiaoping, as well as those of Comrades Song Renqiong, Yang Yong, and others.

The First Arsenal of the Ji-Lu-Yu Military Region is an important part of the revolutionary heritage site. It was built after the Central Plains Bureau and the military region relocated to Puyang County. Located south of the village on the east side, it is situated in the Chen Family Ancestral Hall, covering an area of over 20 acres. The main gate faces north, with a front façade of arched brick and stone structure, topped with blue bricks forming a “mountain” shape. Entering the gate, you face the machine room (the main hall of the ancestral hall). The room’s door faces south, spans three bays, is over ten feet high, has a flush gable roof, and features a front porch. The pillars under the porch still bear the circular holes made when machines were installed. The eastern and western gable walls bear inscriptions such as “General’s Platform” and “Battlefield Response.” On the east and west sides of the main hall, there are three auxiliary rooms each, built with brick and wood, featuring front porches and about eight feet in height—also used as machine rooms at the time. Further south are three northern rooms, which served as the arsenal’s offices. About 30 meters southeast of these rooms is a well dug by the arsenal at the time. The arsenal also manufactured the first artillery piece in the history of our military’s arms industry—the “Gai Liang” Type 92 Infantry Gun.

To combat Japanese puppet forces and expand the base area, the military region led multiple offensive operations and battles here. It also actively mobilized poor farmers in the region to establish local governments, and led peasants in struggles for rent and interest reductions as well as wage and tenancy increases, making positive contributions to the victories of the War of Resistance against Japan and the Liberation War.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Henan Province