Former site of the Xinhua Daily Publishing House at Daluli

Former site of the Xinhua Daily Publishing House at Daluli

The former site of the Xinhua Daily Publishing House at Daluli is a cultural relic protection unit of Wuhan.

The former site of the Xinhua Daily Publishing House is located at No. 4–6, Daluli, Minyi 1st Road, Jianghan District, Wuhan.

The Xinhua Daily was the only comprehensive official newspaper openly published and distributed by the Communist Party of China in the Kuomintang-controlled areas during the nationwide War of Resistance against Japan. It was a banner for the CPC’s perseverance in resistance, unity, and progress in the rear area. On January 11, 1938, after twists and turns of negotiations between the CPC Central Committee delegation and the Kuomintang, the Xinhua Daily finally broke through obstacles and officially launched in Wuhan. The president was Pan Zinian, the manager was Xiong Jincheng, and the chief editors were successively Hua Gang and Wu Kejian. Initially, the newspaper office was located at No. 53, Chengzhong Street, Hankou, and later moved to Daluli, Minyi 1st Road.

During its time in Wuhan, the Xinhua Daily was published daily with one broadsheet, totaling 287 issues. Its circulation was about 10,000 copies. The main sections of the newspaper included editorials, international reviews, economic reviews, current affairs Q&A, and editorial notes, while the supplement featured columns such as Workers’ Life, Women’s Path, and Social Services. The political articles published in the newspaper effectively refuted the "defeatism" and "quick victory" theories, promoted the idea of protracted war, opposed the one-sided resistance line, pointed out the prospects for victory in the War of Resistance, and advocated the CPC’s comprehensive resistance line.

During its nearly 10 months in Wuhan, the Xinhua Daily turned the city into a grand stage for resistance propaganda. It played a significant role in guiding the establishment and activities of CPC organizations across southern China, maintaining and expanding the anti-Japanese national united front, promoting exchanges and cooperation among various democratic parties and mass organizations, encouraging the Kuomintang to actively resist Japan, mobilizing and organizing the masses for total war, and more. It became a window for the nation and the world to understand China’s resistance efforts. Through the newspaper, people from all walks of life in China and progressive individuals abroad gradually gained a deeper understanding of the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army under the CPC’s leadership, and placed greater trust in the CPC, which was truly committed to the resistance. Compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao, overseas Chinese, and the international anti-aggression camp subsequently provided continuous spiritual and material support to the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army. Many patriotic youths, including some soldiers from the Kuomintang army, also went to Yan’an to join the revolution. On October 25, 1938, the day Wuhan fell, the newspaper insisted on publishing its final issue before relocating to Chongqing.

The Xinhua Daily during the Wuhan period served as a public link between the CPC and the masses within the Kuomintang-controlled areas. It strengthened the Party’s influence among the masses in the Nationalist-controlled regions, bolstered public confidence in persisting with the resistance, provided strong propaganda and public opinion support for the nationwide and Hubei-based anti-Japanese salvation movement, and established the national belief that China would triumph and the resistance would succeed.

During its time in Wuhan, the Xinhua Daily Publishing House rented six residential buildings with a total floor area of about 1,200 square meters, which were used as editorial offices, printing facilities, and staff dormitories. The site consists of two-story lane-style residential buildings with brick-and-wood structures. The original buildings of the publishing house site still exist today and are now used as residential housing.

The former site of the Xinhua Daily Publishing House was designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Wuhan by the Wuhan Municipal People’s Government in April 1983.

(Excerpted from Red Jingchu: Monument Volume)

Zhou Enlai was a Marxist, proletarian revolutionary, statesman, military strategist, and diplomat. He was one of the principal leaders of the Communist Party of China and the People’s Republic of China, one of the founders of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, and the Premier of the People’s Republic of China (1949–1976). Originally from Shaoxing, Zhejiang, he was born in Huai’an, Jiangsu. In 1917, after graduating from Nankai School in Tianjin, he went to Japan to study. He returned to China in 1919, entered Nankai University in September, and became a leader among Tianjin students during the May Fourth Movement. Together with other activists, he co-founded the progressive group Awakening Society... More details about Zhou Enlai++