Martyr Zhao Shengming Memorial Monument

Martyr Zhao Shengming Memorial Monument

The Martyr Zhao Shengming Memorial Monument is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhengding County.

On May 10, 1995, it was designated as a county-level key cultural relic protection unit by the People’s Government of Zhengding County.

Located in the northwest corner of Guanghui Temple, the monument stands 2.07 meters tall in total, with a rectangular base that is 0.56 meters high, facing south. The front side is inscribed with “Eternal Glory to the Martyr Zhao Shengming Memorial Monument,” while the back records the life and deeds of Martyr Zhao Shengming.

Zhao Shengming, born in 1917 in northern Shaanxi, was a member of the Communist Party of China. He joined the army in 1936 and served as the deputy commander of the 29th Regiment of the 10th Brigade of the 4th Column of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military District. On August 24, 1947, the 4th Column of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Field Army was ordered to liberate Zhengding City. Led by the column’s political commissar, the People’s Liberation Army entered the city from its southwest corner. Zhao Shengming’s 29th Regiment pursued a group of Kuomintang troops to the vicinity of this Pagoda. The enemy took refuge inside the pagoda and fired down frequently from the second-floor platform of the ancient tower. In order to protect this valuable cultural relic—the Huata Pagoda—Zhao Shengming resolutely ordered a halt to the artillery bombardment and instead launched an attack using light weapons, which resulted in heavy casualties for our forces. At 10:30 a.m., while directing the battle, Zhao Shengming was hit by enemy stray fire and died a heroic death at the age of 30. Later, after a joint assault by the 33rd, 34th, and 35th Regiments, the bandit leader was finally captured, and Zhengding was completely liberated. After the battle, Comrade Zhao Shengming was honored as a “Great Merit Hero.” The then commander of the Field Army and the political commissar of the 4th Column—both unnamed here—attended his memorial service.

To commemorate Martyr Zhao Shengming, the people of Zhengding renamed the street where he was killed—Nanmenli—as Shengming Street in 1947. Over time, as the name was passed down orally, it was misheard and became Shengmin Street. This is also the reason why, although Zhengding has four city gates, only three “Menli” (literally “inside the gate”) streets are named among its local districts. In 1984, when Xi Jinping was serving as the County Party Secretary of Zhengding, he learned about this story and instructed the county’s Party committee and government to erect this memorial monument on the site.