Peng Dehuai’s Hometown (Wushi Scenic Area)

Peng Dehuai’s Hometown (Wushi Scenic Area)

Peng Dehuai’s Hometown (Wushi Scenic Area) is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Wushi Scenic Area is situated in Pengjiawei, Wushi Village, Wushi Town, in the southwestern part of Xiangtan City. It is the hometown of Marshal Peng Dehuai (1898–1974). The scenic area is approximately 100 kilometers from the provincial capital, Changsha, and lies next to Shaoshan and Huaminglou, together forming a red tourism route of great leaders’ hometowns in central Hunan — an ideal place for tourism and sightseeing. Covering an area of 150 hectares, the scenic area consists of five parts: the former residence, the memorial park, the cemetery, the leisure area, and the national defense education park.

Wushi Scenic Area is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction (site), a national red tourism base, a national patriotic education demonstration base, a national key cultural relics protection unit, and one of the “Top Ten” finest exhibition projects in China.

Comrade Peng Dehuai’s Former Residence was originally several thatched cottages. Between 1925 and 1927, using his salary as a company and battalion commander in the Hunan Army, Peng had them built by his younger brothers, Jinhua and Ronghua — hence it is also known as the “Three Huas’ Hall.” The residence faces southeast and is situated northwest, built with brick and wood, featuring whitewashed walls and tiled roofs — a typical example of traditional southern Chinese houses. Peng Dehuai visited his hometown twice, in 1958 and 1961. During his 1961 visit, he stayed for 34 days, received over 2,000 visiting cadres and locals, and drafted five rural research reports at the residence for reference by the Party Central Committee and Chairman Mao. The west kitchen of the residence is where Peng’s 1962 manuscript “August Letter” to the Party Central Committee was hidden. The residence was also the main activity site where Peng’s elder brother, Jinhua, established the underground Party branch of Pengjiawei. From 1980 to 1983, the Xiangtan County Government renovated the residence and added protective stone walls. In 1982, Deng Xiaoping inscribed the name “Comrade Peng Dehuai’s Former Residence.” It officially opened to the public on August 1, 1983, and was designated as a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit by the Hunan Provincial People’s Government on October 10 of the same year. On June 25, 2001, it was listed as a fifth batch national key cultural relics protection unit by the State Council.

The Peng Dehuai Memorial Hall is located on Wohu Mountain, 200 meters opposite Comrade Peng Dehuai’s Former Residence, echoing it in the distance. Its name was inscribed by Jiang Zemin. The memorial hall adopts a traditional Chinese courtyard layout, featuring distinctive local elements such as horse-head gables, gray-tiled roofs, and white walls adorned with wooden-patterned window frames. It embodies both the ancient charm of Chu and Xiang culture and a strong sense of modernity. The entire architectural form uses modern design techniques to emphasize straight geometric lines and solid volumes, giving a sense of uprightness and clarity that reflects Marshal Peng’s resolute character. To implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on “making good use of red resources, promoting red traditions, and passing on red genes,” the Peng Dehuai Memorial Hall upgraded its original exhibition, which reopened to the public on October 24, 2018. The new exhibition, “A Hundred Battles in History, Loyalty Forging a Monument — The Life and Achievements of Marshal Peng Dehuai,” is divided into five sections, covering an exhibition area of about 2,000 square meters. It utilizes various display methods including cultural relics, photographs, sculptures, silicone replicas, artistic scenes, oil paintings, multimedia videos, and light boxes. This exhibition has seen significant improvements in content design philosophy and principles, theme selection, spatial layout, color schemes, and the unique features and highlights of each section, receiving widespread acclaim from all sectors of society.

The Peng Dehuai Statue Square is located atop Wohu Mountain, surrounded by lush pines and cypresses. From here, visitors can gaze into the distance at layer upon layer of green mountains and vast fields, creating a refreshing and uplifting experience. In the center of the square stands the majestic bronze statue of Peng Dehuai, as if rooted between heaven and earth, symbolizing the coexistence of the great leader’s noble spirit with nature — evoking deep reverence. The statue is 5.1 meters tall, and with its base, reaches 8.1 meters, symbolizing that Peng Dehuai, who came from a poor farming family, was one of the founders of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. The base is uniquely shaped like a granite mountain peak, signifying that Marshal Peng will exist forever with the land and mountains. The statue was designed by renowned sculptor Cheng Yunxian from the Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution and manufactured by Nanjing Morning Light Machinery Plant. Jiang Zemin inscribed the nameplate for the Peng Dehuai Statue.

Peng Dehuai’s Tomb is located at the foot of Wushi Peak, a place locally referred to as the “Tiger’s Mouth.” On December 28, 1999, with approval from the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, Peng Dehuai’s ashes were relocated from Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing to his hometown of Wushi Town and laid to rest in Peng Dehuai’s Tomb. The tomb is 5 meters high and 7.4 meters wide, with the body and base forming a 76-degree angle — symbolizing that Peng Dehuai passed away in 1974 at the age of 76. The intersection edge of the tomb body and base is 1.898 meters long — representing his birth year of 1898. The tomb is designed in a black granite diamond shape, while the tomb wall resembles a gray granite section of the Great Wall, symbolizing Peng Dehuai’s distinct personality and immense contributions to the Chinese revolution.

The Martyrs’ Tomb is located on the hill behind the former residence and is the joint burial site of Peng Dehuai’s two younger brothers, Peng Jinhua and Peng Ronghua. In 1940, the reactionary Kuomintang forces, through the Tan-Zhu Garrison Command, colluded with the puppet Xiangtan County government and local tyrants, leading over 30 armed soldiers to raid Pengjiawei in the early hours of October 4. Comrade Ronghua was killed on the spot, while Comrade Jinhua was arrested and secretly executed by the reactionaries seven days later on Fengxing Mountain in Yijiawan. The tomb was rebuilt in October 1979, and in October 1993, General Wang Zhen inscribed the tombstone. It was renovated again in October 2008.

On March 21, 2011, during his visit to the Peng Dehuai Memorial Hall, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “We must be inspired by the spirit of Marshal Peng to build his hometown well and develop this patriotic education base.” The Peng Dehuai Spirit Propaganda Center originates from this idea. The planning and construction of this project aim to thoroughly implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, using the center as a platform to “promote the spirit of Marshal Peng and tell his stories well.” The center’s main functions include the Peng Dehuai Cinema, the Grand Auditorium for Promoting the Spirit of Marshal Peng, large and small lecture halls, special exhibition halls, VIP reception rooms, and supporting facilities. The architectural style is solemn, simple, and majestic. The color scheme draws inspiration from regional characteristics and the spirit of Peng Dehuai — “resolute, impartial, and unyielding” — using “Wushi Black” and “White Stone White” as the main hues to reflect both regional identity and the spirit of the figure. The Peng Dehuai Spirit Propaganda Center opened to the public in October 2018, on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of Marshal Peng Dehuai’s birth.

The Dehuai Pavilion was originally located at the foot of Wushi Peak. Built in 1988, it stands 10 meters tall with an octagonal eave, adorned with carvings of dragons and chrysanthemums. Its two side pillars bear the gilded calligraphy couplet: “A hundred battles fulfill the vow to vanquish invaders; ten thousand words echo the will to serve the people.” In 1998, the pavilion was renovated and relocated to its current site on the mountain ridge.

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