Former Site of Xiaoyi Arsenal

Former Site of Xiaoyi Arsenal

The Former Site of Xiaoyi Arsenal is a cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province, a classic red tourism attraction, and a base for patriotic education.

Located in the northwest of Xiaoyi Subdistrict Office, Gongyi City, is one of the four major arsenals in China during the Republic of China period (Shenyang, Hanyang, Gongxian, Shanghai)—the Xiaoyi Arsenal. The Luo River flows past its northwest, the Longhai Railway runs east-west, and the Lianyungang–Khorgas Expressway passes nearby, making transportation convenient and the location strategically advantageous. With the changes of history, only the former site of Xiaoyi Arsenal remains today.

The Xiaoyi Arsenal was the only large-scale military industrial enterprise in Henan Province to introduce foreign investment, and also the earliest of its kind. Its planning began in 1914, construction started in August 1915, and it was officially completed in the winter of 1922. From planning to production, the project had a short timeline and fast execution, generating significant impact both domestically and internationally, marking one of the important milestones in the rise of modern military industry in China.

The air-raid shelter of the Xiaoyi Arsenal is the earliest, largest in scale, and best-preserved civil defense project in China. Its discovery and research pushed China’s protective history forward by 20 years. In the winter of 1922, the Xiaoyi Arsenal was officially completed, comprising four main sections: the gun factory, artillery shell factory, machine factory, and power plant. The machinery and equipment were mainly imported from Germany, the United States, and Denmark, and were relatively advanced. The military products manufactured included: Mauser hand cannons, portable machine guns, Russian-style light machine guns, heavy machine guns, Czech-style rifles, Browning pistols, rifles, Type Zhongzheng rifles, various artillery shells, grenades, tear gas bombs, and more. In 1931, after the fall of the three northeastern provinces, the nation launched a high tide of resistance against Japan. To defeat the Japanese invaders and meet national defense needs, the arsenal expanded to the Shihexi area south of the Longhai Railway, where a new chemical arsenal was built, known as the “Gongxian Arsenal Branch.” Its products fell into three major categories—chemical warfare agents, anti-gas equipment, and industrial raw materials—spanning fourteen varieties.

On September 25, 2000, the People’s Government of Henan Province designated it as part of the third batch of cultural relic protection units in Henan Province. As an important modern historical site and representative structure, the Former Site of Xiaoyi Arsenal holds significant influence and far-reaching meaning for the study of China’s military development history, weapon manufacturing history, local industrial development history, as well as for condemning the crimes of Japanese aggression. It also serves as an important base for young people to receive revolutionary tradition education and patriotic education.

Source: United Front Work Department of Gongyi Municipal Committee; Author: Zhou Lijuan

Xiaoyi Subdistrict: Xiaoyi is situated within Gongyi City, located in the northwest of Gongyi. Its geographical coordinates are 34°45′ north latitude and 112°58′ east longitude. It stretches 10 kilometers from east to west and 8.1 kilometers from north to south, lying between Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province, and Luoyang, the ancient capital of nine dynasties. To the north lies Mangshan Mountain, adjacent to the Yellow River, while to the south are the Songshan Mountains, embracing the Northern Song Dynasty’s “Yongzhao Mausoleum” and “Yonghou Mausoleum.” The Yiluo River flows around it from west to north, and to the east are the scenic hometown of Du Fu and the “Tang Tri-colored Glazed Pottery” ruins, offering picturesque beauty. National Highway 310 passes through the area, while the Longhai Railway and the Kaifeng–Luoyang Expressway run across it, providing exceptionally convenient transportation.

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Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Henan Province