Former Residence of Huang Hengming

Former Residence of Huang Hengming

The former residence of Huang Hengming is a cultural tourism attraction and a classic red tourism site.

The former residence of Huang Hengming is located in Yuchitou Village, Longquan Town, Xintian County, Hunan Province. In 1906, Huang Hengming was born here, and he spent his childhood and adolescence here until he set out on his revolutionary path. The residence faces south and is a civil-engineered structure, featuring an overall layout of “one main hall and two side rooms.” Its main building includes a large hall, two wing rooms, and has a total construction area of 154 square meters.

Huang Hengming (1906–1929) was from Yuchitou Village, Longquan Town, Xintian County, Hunan Province. In the 9th year of the Republic of China (1920), he began his schooling, and in the 10th year, he joined Class 10 of the county’s higher elementary school. In the 12th year, he was admitted to the Third Provincial Normal School of Hunan, assigned to Class 30. At the Third Normal School, Huang Hengming, along with Zeng Lingjun and Zeng Lingquan, joined the “Study Friends Mutual Aid Society,” read the “Xiangjiang Review,” discussed national affairs, and actively participated in party-led activities such as the expulsion of Principal Liu Zhiyuan and the “Drive Out Huang Zhouyu” movement. He also took part in labor movements in Hengyang, Shuikoushan, and other areas. In the 14th year of the Republic of China, he joined the Communist Party of China.

During his time at school, Huang Hengming’s elder brother urged him several times via letter to return home to get married. He replied in a letter: “My ambition lies not in my family, but in my country. The country comes before the family. To save the people from misery, I will spare no effort, even if it means facing boiling water and fire, or losing my life and head.”

In July of the 15th year of the Republic of China (1926), Huang Hengming was dispatched by the Party organization to return to Xintian with Zeng Lingjun, Zeng Lingquan, Cheng Qihan, and Zhang Hantao to carry out the peasant movement. They established the Xintian Branch of the Communist Party of China at Guanyinge in the north gate of the county town, with Huang Hengming serving as branch secretary. In early August, the Xintian County Peasant Association was founded at the county higher elementary school. He conducted in-depth social investigations in Yizhi Township, mobilized the masses, and helped establish peasant associations in Shuangxiling, Xiaogang, and Lianhuatang districts and townships.

After the “Ma Ri Incident,” the Nationalist government hunted down and arrested Communist Party members. Huang Hengming and others left Xintian and scattered to continue underground struggles. In September of the 16th year of the Republic of China (1927), the Hunan Provincial Committee called on Communist Party members to swiftly mobilize and organize the masses to launch armed uprisings. Huang Hengming, Zeng Lingjun, and others returned to Xintian and gathered at the home of Zeng Lingjun in Longgang Village to secretly plan the uprising. After the meeting, they dispersed. Huang Hengming, under the guise of teaching, worked at an urban primary school where he often told students stories about Yue Fei, Wen Tianxiang, and Li Zicheng. At night, he returned to the Yuchitou Village area to organize a peasant militia. Elderly residents Huang Shusheng and Huang Yunjing from Yuchitou Village recalled: “We organized over 20 people, had prepared spears, broadswords, and shotguns. We were just waiting for Huang’s order to rise up in the Dayuan (Yao region) area.”

In November of the 17th year of the Republic of China (1928), He Jian, the chairman of Hunan Province, sent rural pacification inspector Wang Xiaohua to Xintian. On November 9 (the 28th day of the 9th lunar month), County Magistrate Jiang Jingbang ordered the arrest of Huang Hengming. In March of the 18th year of the Republic of China (1929), Huang Hengming, Zeng Lingjun, and Zeng Lingquan were extradited to Changsha and imprisoned in the “Hunan Pacification Command Prison.” They endured severe torture in prison but remained steadfast. On July 19 of the 18th year of the Republic of China, they were executed at the Shizi Ridge Execution Ground outside Liuyang Gate in Changsha.