Former Sites of the Xiangnan Uprising

Former Sites of the Xiangnan Uprising

The Former Sites of the Xiangnan Uprising are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Former Sites of the Xiangnan Uprising (including the former site of the Chenzhou County Soviet Government, the former site of the Guiyang County Soviet Government, the former site of the Ninth District Soviet Government of Yongxing County (Anfusi Guan Sheng Temple and Memorial Tower), the site of the Banzhuang Armed Uprising and Seizure of Weapons — Zhongcun Ancestral Hall, the Former Residence of He Kun, the former site of the Xiangnan Workers', Peasants' and Soldiers' Representative Conference — Taiping Temple, the former site of the Qishi Armed Uprising (Peng Ancestral Hall, the former site of the CPC Yizhang County Committee — Chengqi School, Yugong Ancestral Hall), the Revolutionary Site of Shenggongtan (former site of the Rear Hospital of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Revolutionary Army, former site of the Houwantan Arsenal), the former site of the Rucheng Conference, the former site of the Huang County Soviet Government — Huang Ancestral Hall, the negotiation and cooperation site of Zhu De and Fan Shisheng, the former site of the CPC Jiahe South District Branch Activities — Nanxun Pavilion, the former site of the Penggongmiao Joint Conference (east building of the Hu Ancestral Hall)

In 1927, after Chiang Kai-shek launched the “April 12 Counterrevolutionary Coup,” the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China planned uprisings during the autumn harvest in the four provinces of Hunan, Hubei, Guangdong, and Jiangxi. For this purpose, Comrade Mao Zedong personally drafted the “Outline for the Xiangnan Movement,” planning to organize an autumn harvest uprising in southern Hunan. The “Outline for the Xiangnan Movement” proposed: “First, the special movement in Xiangnan shall be centered in Rucheng County, from which center it will advance to occupy Guidong, Yizhang, Chenzhou, and four or five other counties, forming a political organization and a revolutionary command organ modeled after a government, implementing land revolution, opposing the Tang government in Changsha, and establishing contact with the anti-Tang forces in western Hunan…” (see Mao Zedong Military Writings). To implement the “Outline for the Xiangnan Movement,” in July 1927, Zhou Enlai, head of the Central Military Department of the CPC Central Committee, instructed the dispatch of several military cadres including Chen Dongri and Wu Wenyuan to Rucheng, where they established the “Special Working Committee of the CPC Central Committee in Rucheng” and the “Special Military Committee of Xiangnan,” unifying the leadership of the Xiangnan revolution centered on Rucheng.

The residence of Zhu Zhenwen, former president of the Rucheng Chamber of Commerce in Jinjiang Village, the suburbs of Rucheng County, was the former site of the “CPC (Communist Party of China) Special Working Committee in Rucheng” and the “Special Military Committee of Xiangnan.” It has been well preserved to this day.

The significance of this site lies in the fact that it powerfully demonstrates that the “Xiangnan Uprising” was not an accidental event, but an armed uprising thoroughly prepared and planned by the Communist Party of China.

In May 2013, the State Council (State Council Document [2013] No. 13) announced the Former Sites of the Xiangnan Uprising as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Hunan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units