Former Site of the Soviet Government in Lingshui County

Former Site of the Soviet Government in Lingshui County

The Former Site of the Soviet Government in Lingshui County is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a classic red tourism destination.

The Soviet Site

The Soviet Site is located on Zhongshan East Road, Yelin Town, Lingshui Li Autonomous County, Hainan Province, covering an area of 1,127 square meters. It has been designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the State Council.

The Lingshui Soviet Site was originally the Qiongshan Guild Hall, built in the 10th year of the Republic of China. Shortly after the failure of the Great Revolution in 1927, the first red political power in Qiongya — the Soviet Government of Lingshui County — was established here, reigniting the spark of revolutionary struggle across the island. After liberation, the site was listed as a Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Lingshui Soviet Site is an exquisite building, featuring a multi-courtyard, ancestral hall-style layout divided into front, middle, and rear sections, each separated by a courtyard. The front section is single-story, while the middle and rear sections are two-story buildings, all separated by courtyards. Architectural features such as gilded paintings on wooden screens, intricate carvings on window and door frames, and bas-relief floral decorations on white walls showcase traditional Chinese architectural styles. At the same time, it incorporates Western elements such as European-style porticos, rounded rooftops, vine-patterned ridge ornaments, and sculpted double-phoenix designs beneath the ridges. Four square pillars under arched gateways are topped with lion ornaments, and the façade features a Baroque-style arched colonnade with closely spaced pillars and ornate railings, reflecting the luxury of Qiongshan merchants and the grandeur of the architecture at that time.

Despite 80 years of historical upheaval, the Former Site of the Lingshui Soviet Government has not suffered any man-made damage, and the building has become a symbol of Lingshui.

In September 1926, the Lingshui County Peasant Movement Training Institute was established at the Qiongshan Guild Hall, marking the beginning of decades of red history at this site.

After the “April 12” counter-revolutionary coup in 1927, Yang Shanjí was appointed to return to Hainan Island as Secretary of the Qiongya Special Committee and Chairman of the Qiongya Military Commission. He led and initiated the Autumn Harvest Uprising among the people of Hainan, carried out land reforms, and launched three armed uprisings to establish a Soviet government. On December 16 of the same year, the first county-level Soviet government in Qiongya — the “Soviet Government of Lingshui County” — was proclaimed. The spark in Lingshui illuminated the darkness before dawn, sparking a red storm that swept across Qiongya.

In 1979, the Guangdong Provincial People’s Government designated it as a Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit for its revolutionary significance.

In 1983, the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and the Lingshui County Government allocated special funds for a comprehensive renovation of the site and established the County Museum.

In June 2006, it was listed as part of the sixth group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Address:

No. 22, Zhongshan East Road, Yelin Town, Lingshui Li Autonomous County, Hainan Province

Tel:

0898-83317957

Admission Fee

20 RMB

Best Time to Visit

Suitable to visit all year round.

On Foot

There is no well-developed public transportation network locally in Lingshui. You can walk or bike to No. 22, Zhongshan East Road (near the Lingshui County Central Market).

Yelin Town: Located southeast of Lingshui, Yelin Town is the political, economic, and cultural center of Lingshui County, with a population of 96,000 — one-third of the county's total. The population is mainly Han and Li ethnic groups, with ethnic minorities making up 20% of the total. The town covers a total area of 77.1 square kilometers. In 2004, the provincial government approved an urban planning area of 16.34 square kilometers, accounting for 21% of the total. The town has 21,063 mu of cultivated land (including 15,483 mu of paddy fields, 5,245 mu of dry land, and 335 mu of sloping fields). There are 6 community neighborhood committees, 15 administrative villages, and 1 town-run... More about Yelin Town++

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units