Wangchanggou Scenic Area

Wangchanggou Scenic Area

Wangchanggou Scenic Area is a patriotic education base.

Wangchanggou Scenic Area is located in Wangchanggou Village, Mengziling Township, Kuancheng County, Hebei Province. Surrounded by mountains, rich in vegetation, and dotted with farmland, the area enjoys beautiful scenery, fresh air, and a pleasant climate. The harmonious combination of mountain, water, field, and forest landscapes creates a tranquil scene of “streams, flowing water, and village life,” resembling the idyllic “land of peach blossoms” described by Tao Yuanming.

The local people are simple, kind, and hospitable. For generations, residents have lived in harmony. Historically, many families resided in “corridor houses.” These corridor houses consist of units of two, three, or four households sharing one entrance. Daily life and work were carried out through a single doorway, fostering harmony among neighbors who supported each other and practiced the custom of leaving doors unlocked at night—fully reflecting the traditional Chinese virtues of family harmony and hardworking cooperation. Corridor houses historically belonged to clan compounds, but with social development, some have been divided and given separate entrances. Currently, the original layout remains largely preserved, with over 50 households still having around 20 maintaining corridor house structures. Overall, the original appearance of the corridor houses is well-preserved.

Wangchanggou is now a municipal-level patriotic education base and has been listed as one of the key red tourism destinations in Chengde City and Hebei Province. During the Anti-Japanese War, Wangchanggou served as the location for the headquarters of the Jidong Military Sub-district of the Communist Party of China, as well as offices for newspapers, cadre schools, and hospitals. Existing sites include the Jidong Military Sub-district Command Post, the Sub-district Hospital, the Sub-district Newspaper Office, and the rescue site of “Red Sister-in-the-Mountains” Liu Suzhen, who treated wounded soldiers.

On May 12, 1943, Commander Li Yunchang and Chief of Staff Peng Shousheng personally led the main forces to Wangchanggou Village. In a valley at the entrance of the village, they ambushed the 9th Company of the 101st Division of the Japanese Kwantung Army, known as the Haruta Squadron. The two-day battle ended in a complete victory. This ambush greatly inspired the party, government, military, and civilians in southern Rehe and played a positive role in supporting the anti-sweeping operations in inland areas. Back then, the heroic people of Wangchanggou actively cooperated with the Jidong Military District in waging a vigorous anti-Japanese struggle. Many heroes and heroic deeds emerged, including the “Red Sister-in-the-Mountains,” earning Wangchanggou the title of “Revolutionary Fortress.” Today, there are more than ten surviving anti-Japanese war sites in Wangchanggou. Coupled with the surrounding lush green mountains and beautiful waters, the area attracts an increasing number of visitors who come to pay tribute to revolutionary relics and experience the revolutionary life of the past.