Martyrs' Cemetery of Yanling County

Martyrs' Cemetery of Yanling County

The Martyrs' Cemetery of Yanling County is a classic red tourism destination and a patriotic education base.

The Martyrs' Cemetery of Yanling County is located on the north side of Dongguan Street in the eastern part of Yanling County. Established in 1956, the entire cemetery covers an area of 6,489 square meters, featuring 17 martyrs' monuments and one martyrs' memorial hall consisting of eight rooms.

As early as the Agrarian Revolutionary period, the Communist Party of China had been active in Yanling County. In 1928, Lü Diaoyang, the secretary of the Fugou County branch of the CPC, came to the Zhangqiao area in southern Yanling to carry out revolutionary activities aimed at awakening the masses and expanding the Party organization. In April 1937, Li Shuang, a Yanling-born student who had joined the CPC in Beiping, passed through Zhengzhou and was dispatched by the Henan (Provisional) Work Committee of the CPC to return to Yanling to engage in revolutionary activities. In May of the same year, the Henan Provincial Work Committee of the CPC sent Chu Guangfu to Yanling, where he, together with Li Shuang and Cheng Yanluo, established the Yanling County Party Group of the CPC, with Li Shuang serving as the leader of the group. To promote anti-Japanese salvation efforts, the Yanling County Party Group decided, in accordance with the directives of the higher Party organization, to have members conduct anti-Japanese propaganda activities in their personal capacities and establish a mass-based anti-Japanese salvation organization called the "Reading Club." In September 1937, the "Reading Club" was reorganized into the Yanling County Anti-Japanese Salvation Propaganda Team. In August 1945, the 13th Sub-bureau of the CPC Jinjiyu Area Committee decided to establish the Yan (Ling) Fu (Gou) County Committee of the CPC, the Yan-Fu County Anti-Japanese Democratic Government, and the County Brigade. During the War of Resistance Against Japan, the CPC organizations in Yanling County withstood severe tests, further consolidating and strengthening the Party’s ranks and strength. From May 1947 to the first half of 1948, the local armed forces of Yanling County actively cooperated with regular troops from the Yu-Wan-Su Military District and the Fifth Sub-district to fight against the Nationalist army and local reactionary forces. They engaged in several major battles, including the Xiefang-Weizhuang Encirclement Battle, the Daoqing Temple Standoff, the Mao Henggang Guerrilla Warfare, the 120-Li Pursuit Battle, and the Yaojia Breakout Battle, which dealt heavy blows to the Nationalist army. Yanling County also experienced six liberations, thereby ending the "tug-of-war" situation and returning to the hands of the people.

Yanling County has a total of 12 townships, 10 of which are old revolutionary bases, and many heroic figures have emerged in various periods. Examples include: Martyr Cheng Liubin, Martyr Liu Fusheng, Martyr Yang Lin, and others.

Currently, the Martyrs' Memorial Hall is open to the public free of charge, receiving nearly 10,000 visitors of all backgrounds each year. For many years, it has played a role in educating and guiding young people to establish correct worldviews, outlooks on life, values, and in fostering patriotism. The Yanling Martyrs' Cemetery now serves as a "Moral Education Base" for primary and secondary schools. In October 2004, it was designated as a "Patriotic Education Base" by the city of Xuchang. In June 2011, it was listed by Yanling County as a "Yanling County Revolutionary Martyrs’ Memorial Building Protection Unit Site." In July 2016, it was named a Xuchang City Party History Education Base.

Opening hours: Open from 9:00 to 17:30, Monday to Friday.

Source: Henan Provincial Party History Research Office