Former Site of the Xianghe and Xiangbei District Committees of the Chinese Communist Party during the War of Resistance Against Japan

Former Site of the Xianghe and Xiangbei District Committees of the Chinese Communist Party during the War of Resistance Against Japan

The Former Site of the Xianghe and Xiangbei District Committees of the Chinese Communist Party during the War of Resistance Against Japan is a classic red tourism destination.

The area around Xiajiachang in Tuoshi Town was one of the central zones where the main forces of the Red Army maneuvered during the Agrarian Revolutionary War, as well as a hub of activity for the Tianjingqian Special District and the Tianqian County Committee. The Party organizations and Soviet governments here had a solid foundation. During the War of Resistance Against Japan, the main forces of the New Fourth Army’s 5th Division, with the active cooperation of local Party, government, and military organizations at the county, district, and township levels, opened up the Tianxi region, established a foothold, and successively set up the Tianmen County Administrative Committee and the Tianjingqian County Anti-Japanese Democratic Government. This led to the continuous expansion of the anti-Japanese base areas and vigorous development in various constructions. As the anti-Japanese base areas in the Hubei-Henan Border Region expanded into Central Hubei and Tianhan, the New Fourth Army’s 5th Division decided in October 1942 to disband the Tianhan District Committee and establish the Xianghe District Committee in order to open up the Xiangnan region, advance into Dongting Lake, and achieve the strategic goal of encircling Wuhan. After the establishment of the Xianghe District Committee, its base moved from Luqiao in Jingshan County to the area between Fenjin and Guanyinhu in Fozishan. It also organized the main forces of the Third Sub-district and the 13th Brigade west of Shijiahe to engage in the Zengjiawan Battle, heavily defeating the stubborn puppet forces. This made the Tianjingqian Anti-Japanese Base Area the center of activity for the main forces of the New Fourth Army’s 5th Division and the District Committee’s administrative office. In the summer of 1943, the Xianghe District Committee, administrative office, and military sub-district headquarters moved to places near Xiajiachang such as Baotudi and BaijiaTai. In the winter of the same year, after the Xiangnan regions of Qianjiang, Jiangling, and Honghu were opened up, these Party, government, and military institutions relocated to places like Haokouzi and Zhouji in Qianjiang. In November 1944, after the Xiangnan Honghu region expanded southward to the Shishou–Gong’an–Huarong area across the Yangtze River, the Xiangnan and Xiangbei District Committees were established. The Xiangbei District Committee, administrative office, and military sub-district remained stationed near Xiajiachang in places like Baotudi and BaijiaTai. From the early 1980s to the 1990s, the Tianmen City (County) Party Committee and City (County) Government held multiple symposiums with veteran cadres from the War of Resistance Against Japan and Liberation War periods, inviting former district and county Party secretaries and some Party, government, and military leaders to visit Tianmen to discuss Party history materials, revisit revolutionary sites, and provide many important recollections. These confirmed that the Xianghe District Committee and administrative office were located in Xiajiachang. Between 2005 and 2007, based on recollections from relevant veteran leaders and local elderly informants, Tuoshi Town determined that the residence of Zhu Shucun (a veteran of the anti-Japanese war and retired cadre) in Baotudi Village was the site of the Xianghe District Committee and administrative office.

Baotudi Village is located 8.5 kilometers southeast of Tuoshi Town and 4 kilometers from Xiajiachang. It consists of nine villager groups and ten natural villages. The residence of Zhu Shucun is situated in the Zhu family courtyard (Group 4). The original house is well-preserved, facing west with an eastern orientation, covering an area of 110 square meters. Its interior structure features three tiled rooms with sloped roofs and a wall made of thatch supported by seven pillars and eight beams. It is now a base for revolutionary tradition and patriotic education. In 2007, the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department took the lead in coordinating relevant departments to begin renovating the site of the Xianghe District Committee and administrative office.

Baotudi Village: Baotudi Village…… More details about Baotudi Village++