Former Site of the Command Headquarters of the Xiangnan New Year’s Uprising

Former Site of the Xiangnan New Year’s Uprising Command Headquarters

The Former Site of the Xiangnan New Year’s Uprising Command Headquarters is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a classic red tourism destination.

Former Site of the Xiangnan New Year’s Uprising Command Headquarters

Dating back to the Qing Dynasty.

The site of the Xiangnan New Year’s Uprising [1928] is located at No. 82, Qinnian Lane, Chengguan Town, Yizhang County.

The New Year’s Uprising holds an important place in the military history of our army, giving the site special commemorative significance.

On January 12, the 17th year of the Republic of China (1928), Zhu De and Chen Yi led the troops that survived the Nanchang Uprising. With the cooperation of the Xiangnan Party organization, they cleverly captured Yizhang and established the “First Division of the Chinese Revolutionary Army” and the “Yizhang County Peasant Self-Defense Army.” The victory of the Yizhang New Year’s Uprising marked the prelude to the Xiangnan Uprising. Within the following three months, a revolutionary storm swept across Xiangnan. The workers’ and peasants’ revolutionary army grew from over 1,000 to more than 10,000 members. People’s Soviet governments were established in five counties including Yizhang, Chenxian, Yongxing, and Leiyang. In April, Zhu De and Chen Yi led the Xiangnan Uprising forces to advance toward Jinggangshan, where they successfully joined forces with the workers’ and peasants’ revolutionary army led by Mao Zedong.

The original site was the Qing Dynasty garrison office, built in the 17th year of the Shunzhi reign (1660). In the 7th year of the Republic of China (1918), it was converted into a county-run girls' school. In 1949, it became Chengguan Town Primary School. It was restored in 1987, with parts of its original appearance revived.

The site faces south and features a brick-and-wood structure in a courtyard style. It consists of a main gate, wing rooms, front courtyard, front building, rear building, west building, and garden area, covering an area of over 6,000 square meters with more than 40 rooms of various sizes. After Zhu De and Chen Yi led their troops to cleverly capture Yizhang, they set up the command headquarters of the New Year’s Uprising and the headquarters of the First Division of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Revolutionary Army here. They stayed here continuously from entering the city on January 12 to leaving on January 21. Guards also stayed on-site: the first platoon occupied the lower floor of the west building, the second platoon the upper floor, and the third platoon the lower floor of the east building. Currently, the front and rear buildings of the original site have been demolished and replaced with teaching buildings. Only the east and west buildings retain their original appearance, with some rooms featuring restored displays.

On November 20, 1996, the State Council designated it as part of the fourth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units, with reference number 230-32.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units