Hongyan Cemetery

Hongyan Cemetery

Hongyan Cemetery is a Chongqing Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a classic red tourism attraction.

Deep in the Hongyan Mountain Gully, nestled between two mountains, the area is lush and green throughout the year, offering a peaceful and secluded environment. A mountain stream splits the range into two—one side heading left toward the city center and the other reaching north to the Jialing River. At the base of the mountain range that extends toward the Jialing River, there lies a small, man-made flatland of approximately thirty to forty square meters. In the center of the flatland sits a circular wreath carved from white marble atop a stone pedestal. Behind the flatland is an approximately seven to eight-meter-long curved red stone wall inscribed with the history of the cemetery, as well as the names and biographies of those buried here. The entire cemetery faces east, offering a wide and open view. Behind the wreath lies a tomb chamber constructed from white marble, with the four large characters "Hongyan Cemetery" (inscribed by Lu Dingyi) engraved on the white marble front wall.

During the War of Resistance Against Japan and the early stages of the Liberation War, the Southern Bureau, the Office, and the Xinhua Daily News endured over eight difficult years in Chongqing. Over ten comrades and their family members unfortunately passed away during this time. These included Zhou Enlai’s father and Deng Yingchao’s mother, as well as comrades such as Huang Wenjie, former Secretary of the Shanghai Central Bureau, and Li Shao Shi, Zhou Enlai’s English secretary. They were initially buried in a cemetery plot allocated by Rao Guomu at Foyuan Temple in Xiaolongkan. In 1958, Zhou Enlai sent Tong Xiaopeng back to Chongqing to exhume their remains, which were then cremated and reburied collectively with a nearby monument. Later, due to geographical changes caused by the construction of the Xiangyu Railway in the 1970s, the burial site gradually turned into paddy fields, and the monuments were almost completely submerged. As a result, in 1983, the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government relocated their ashes to Hongyan and built Hongyan Cemetery to house them. On December 1, 1983, the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government designated it as a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit.

Appendix: Biographies of Those Buried in the Cemetery

Huang Wenjie was from Meixian, Guangdong. He joined the revolution in 1924 and was a member of the Chinese Communist Party. He served as Secretary of the Shanghai Central Bureau and worked in organizational roles for both the Yangtze Bureau and the Southern Bureau. Born in 1900, he passed away on August 6, 1939.

Zhou Maochen was from Shaoxing, Zhejiang, and was Zhou Enlai’s father. Born in 1873, he passed away on July 10, 1942.

Yang Zhengde was from Changsha, Hunan, and was Deng Yingchao’s mother. A medical practitioner by profession, she actively supported the revolution. Born in 1875, she passed away on November 18, 1940.

Li Shao Shi was from Xinhui, Guangdong. He joined the revolution in 1926 and was a member of the Chinese Communist Party. He served as the Propaganda Minister of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee and as a secretary for the Southern Bureau. Born on June 7, 1906, he unfortunately died in an accident on October 8, 1945.

Wu Zhijian was from Yongxin, Jiangxi. He joined the revolution in 1929 and was a member of the Chinese Communist Party. He served as the deputy guard officer at the 18th Army Group's Chongqing Office. Born in 1919, he unfortunately passed away in 1939.

Rao Youhu was a woman from Dazu, Sichuan. She joined the revolution in 1935 and was a member of the Chinese Communist Party, working in the Party’s underground activities. Born in 1918, she passed away in December 1939.

Guo Yuming was from Guo County, Shanxi. He joined the revolution in the year the War of Resistance Against Japan broke out and was a member of the Chinese Communist Party. He served as a field reporter for the Xinhua Daily News. Born in 1916, he unfortunately passed away on February 26, 1946.

Bian Ailian was a woman from Zhuji, Zhejiang. She joined the revolution in 1939 and worked as an accountant at the 18th Army Group's Chongqing Office. Born in 1914, she unfortunately passed away on April 1, 1941.

Zhao Wanhua was a woman from Huangpi, Hubei. She participated in revolutionary work during both the First Revolutionary Civil War and the War of Resistance Against Japan. She passed away on February 12, 1942.

Xu Tianbao was from Hailin, Zhejiang. He served as a squad leader in the training team of the 18th Army Group's Chongqing Office and as a material custodian at the 18th Army Group's Chongqing Office. Born in 1908, he passed away in the summer of 1942.

Chen Weilian was from Jiangsu. He joined the revolution in 1937 and was a member of the Chinese Communist Party. He served as a deputy guard officer at the 18th Army Group's Chongqing Office. Born in 1908, he passed away in 1942.

Xiang Xiande was from Hunan. He was a member of the Chinese Communist Party and had participated in the Long March. He served as a guard soldier at the 18th Army Group's Chongqing Office. Born in 1918, he passed away in 1942.

Liao Qinwan was a woman from Hengyang, Hunan. She joined the revolution in 1929 and was a member of the Chinese Communist Party, working in the Party’s underground activities. Born in 1899, she passed away in the summer of 1943.

Deng Youli was from Fengjie, Sichuan. He joined the revolution in 1937 and was a member of the Chinese Communist Party, working in the Party’s literary and artistic endeavors. Born in 1916, he passed away on January 8, 1946.

Source: Chongqing Hongyan Cultural Development Management Center