Martyrs' Memorial Pavilion of He Mangaigu

Martyrs' Memorial Pavilion of He Mangaigu

The Martyrs' Memorial Pavilion of He Mangaigu is a classic site for red tourism.

Martyrs' Memorial Pavilion of He Mangaigu

It is situated on the banks of the Lishui River at North Second Street, Luyuan Town, Sangzhi County, Hunan Province.

He Mangaigu (1898–1928) was the younger sister of He Long. During the Great Revolution, she and her elder sister He Ying organized a peasant militia, fought against the wealthy, helped the poor, and eliminated evildoers and violent forces.

In the summer of 1926, He Mangaigu joined He Ying in expanding two battalions of the peasant army and cooperated with the local militia to occupy Sangzhi County. In October, while staying behind to hold the rear, she led her troops to operate actively along the Hunan-Hubei border in support of the Northern Expedition. In 1927, she was appointed as the leader of a guerrilla detachment. In 1928, she led over a thousand members of the Hunan Northwest Special Committee-led Workers’ and Peasants’ Revolutionary Army, including Liu Yujie, He Bingnan, Teng Jiuyun, Liao Jinyuan, and Li Yunqing, to engage in armed struggle. In June, she was unfortunately captured in a surprise attack by the militia leader Zhang Hengru. She endured severe torture but remained unyielding in the face of the enemy’s inhuman brutality. On the 6th day of the 8th lunar month, she was executed by dismemberment at the county’s execution ground, at the age of 30.

The Martyrs' Memorial Pavilion of He Mangaigu was originally named the Eternal Life Pavilion. It was built in 1980 but was damaged due to foundation subsidence. In the winter of 1985, the Sangzhi County Committee of the Communist Party of China and the People's Government of Sangzhi County rebuilt it. The new structure was completed in October 1986 and renamed the Martyrs' Memorial Pavilion of He Mangaigu. A stone stele inside the pavilion records the life and deeds of Martyr He Mangaigu. The pavilion also features a couplet that reads: “In pursuit of truth, she left her child and husband, courageously fighting the demons of the world; For the revolution, she shattered jade and pearls, truly a heroine among women.”