Former Site of the Red Seventh and Eighth Armies' Meeting in Leye

Former Site of the Red Seventh and Eighth Armies' Meeting in Leye

The Former Site of the Red Seventh and Eighth Armies' Meeting in Leye is a cultural relic protection unit of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, a classic red tourism destination, and a patriotic education base.

Former Site of the Red Seventh and Eighth Armies' Meeting in Leye, a national red tourism attraction. Located at No. 292, Sanle Street, southeast of Leye County, Baise City, it is 168 kilometers from Baise, a veteran revolutionary base area. This site is one of the major revolutionary memorial landmarks in the history of China’s military establishment.

On October 16, 1930, the Red Seventh Army, following the directives of the Party Central Committee, passed through Leye on its northward journey, searching along the way for the Red Eighth Army. On October 23, the two armies connected at Shanggang Stone Arch Bridge and entered the town together. After carrying out a series of revolutionary activities in the county town, they proceeded north to Hechi for reorganization before marching on to Jiangxi. This was a significant event in the history of China’s military establishment.

The former meeting site was originally the residence of a family surnamed Qin. After the victorious meeting of the Red Seventh and Eighth Armies in Leye, it served as the army headquarters. It has now been converted into a memorial museum. The original residence was built in the 18th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1754), originally a three-courtyard, one-garden, coiling-dragon-style wooden structure with brick-and-wood construction. It currently houses over 600 revolutionary, historical, and ethnic relics, including more than 200 items listed as national third-grade collectibles and four items classified as national second-grade treasures. In 1996, it was designated as a national patriotic education base for youth. The memorial museum site is the only surviving Qing Dynasty building in the county town, featuring an elegant and unique style, with scale-patterned walls, carved eaves, and painted pillars that are vividly lifelike. Three individuals from this house once ranked as imperial examination candidates or scholars, giving it considerable commemorative significance.

In 1988, the county government allocated funds to renovate the site and establish the Red Seventh and Eighth Armies' Meeting Memorial Museum. The museum covers an area of 442.8 square meters, with one courtyard and one entry hall. The exhibits are divided into four sections: the founding historical milestones of the Red Seventh and Eighth Armies; the fall of Longzhou and the relocation of the Red Eighth Army; the meeting in Leye and the advance after reorganization; and the course of revolutionary struggle in Leye County. The museum houses over a thousand items including photos and objects.

In December 2010, the memorial museum was designated as a Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Patriotic Education Base by the Autonomous Region Party Committee and Government.

Tongle Town: Located in the county seat of Leye, Tongle Town is the political, economic, cultural, and transportation hub of the entire county. The town government is situated at an altitude of 970 meters, making it the highest-altitude town in Guangxi. The total area of the town is 249 square kilometers, with an urban area of 3.5 square kilometers. It has 14,828 mu of arable land, including 7,913 mu of paddy fields and 6,915 mu of dry land. The town administers 11 village committees, 4 communities, and 226 villager groups, with a total population of 30,110, including 11,000 urban residents. In 2003, the town's GDP was 137.35 million yuan, and the total agricultural output value was 38.56… More detailed information about Tongle Town++