Former Site of the Pingbei Anti-Japanese Base Area

Former Site of the Pingbei Anti-Japanese Base Area

The Former Site of the Pingbei Anti-Japanese Base Area is a cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province.

The Pingbei Anti-Japanese Base Area Memorial was built to commemorate the Pingbei Anti-Japanese Base Area centered around the Haiduo Mountain region. It is located in Haiduo Township, Chicheng County, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province. In 1989, Nie Rongzhen inscribed the words “Pingbei Anti-Japanese Base Area Memorial,” and Duan Suquan inscribed “Haiduo” on a large natural rock east of the village. These have been listed by the county as a patriotic education base. The Pingbei Anti-Japanese Base Area Memorial is an important part of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region.

The Pingbei Anti-Japanese Base Area is situated north of the Ping-Sui Railway, west of the Ping-Gu Railway, spanning the three provinces of Hebei, Rehe, and Chahar. It lies within the triangular area formed by Beiping (Beijing), Zhangjiakou, and Chengde, extending approximately 200 kilometers from northwest to southeast and about 125 kilometers from northeast to southwest, covering an area of 25,000 square kilometers. It interconnects and coordinates with the Pingxi and Jidong Base Areas, acting like a steel blade inserted deep into the enemy’s rear, directly threatening the ruling centers of the Japanese puppet regime—major cities such as Beiping and Zhangjiakou and key transportation lines. The Pingbei region is located at the junction of the three puppet regimes: “North China,” “Mengjiang,” and “Manchukuo.” Before the war of resistance, there were no Communist Party organizations in this area. Establishing an anti-Japanese base area behind enemy lines in the militarily challenging Pingbei region, through dispatching troops and cadres from the outside, was an exceptionally difficult task.

Established in the spring of 1940, it initially governed five counties: Changyan, Fengluanmi, Longchi, Longyuanhuai, and Longchongchi, with a population of over 500,000. It was created under the unified spirit of the CPC's Jirechahar Regional Committee and the Commander of the Advance Column: “Consolidate Pingxi, hold fast to Jidong, and open up Pingbei.” Its establishment took place when the nationwide War of Resistance against Japan was in the stalemate phase—the most difficult period—carved out from enemy-occupied territory like pulling teeth from the mouth of a tiger. During the extremely harsh years of war, the Pingbei anti-Japanese military and civilians, centered in Chicheng, endured all kinds of severe tests. Over 11,700 people from Chicheng County joined the army during the War of Resistance. In the two counties of Longchi and Longyuanhuai alone, around 10,000 village cadres, soldiers, and civilians sacrificed their lives. Many renowned generals commanded hundreds of battles here. Remnants of the memorial sites remain, such as the former site of the county government office, the munitions factory, the rear hospital, the Eighth Route Army garrison, and the former site of the newspaper office.

In July 1993, it was designated as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit by the People’s Government of Hebei Province.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Hebei Province