Monument to the Wanzhou Massacre

Monument to the Wanzhou Massacre

The Monument to the Wanzhou Massacre is a classic red tourism attraction.

The Monument to the Wanzhou Massacre is located at the foot of Tai Bai Rock in Group 7, Hongguang Village, Tai Bai Subdistrict Office, Wanzhou District, Chongqing.

Built in 1986, the Monument to the Wanzhou Massacre faces southwest from the northeast, covering an area of 110 square meters. It stands 17.1 meters tall, shaped like a three-edged shuttle leaf, piercing the sky — symbolizing the unity of the Party, the army, and the people in resisting foreign aggression and rising bravely against adversity. One side of the monument bears the inscription “Monument to the Wanzhou Massacre,” written by General Zhang Aiping, former Minister of National Defense, while the other side features inscribed text in clerical script. In September 2007, the Wanzhou District People’s Government built the Wanzhou Massacre Exhibition Hall next to the monument.

Between June and August 1926, British imperialist warships, exploiting inland navigation rights granted by unequal treaties, cruised along the Yangtze River, repeatedly causing incidents in Wanzhou and the surrounding river sections. They deliberately capsized seven wooden boats five times, drowning over 70 boatmen and stationed soldiers, and resulting in the loss of nearly 100,000 silver dollars and large quantities of weapons and ammunition. These ship-sinking incidents provoked strong indignation among the people of Wanzhou. At the time, Zhu De and Chen Yi, who were mobilizing warlord Yang Sen in Wanzhou to switch allegiance and support the Northern Expedition, actively rallied public opposition to the crimes of British imperialism, established the “Wanzhou Anti-British Massacre Justice Association,” and urged Yang Sen to detain two British merchant ships at the Wanzhou dock, demanding that the British compensate for all losses. On September 5, the British dispatched the converted gunboat "HMS Cairo" along with the warships "HMS Cockchafer" and "HMS Widgeon," attempting to seize the detained merchant ships on the Wanzhou section of the Yangtze. Chinese soldiers guarding the ships engaged in close combat with the British raiders. The British warships then turned their guns and recklessly bombarded both banks of the Yangtze in Wanzhou for over two hours, firing more than 300 shells. Thirty-three locations, including Yangjia Street, Nanjin Street, and Chenjiaba in Wanzhou, were hit. This tragedy, which shocked both China and the world, became known as the “Wanzhou Massacre,” or the “September 5th Massacre.”

After the massacre, Zhu De and Chen Yi immediately met with Yang Sen and agreed to send a telegram nationwide that very night, denouncing the heinous crimes of British imperialism. On September 6, tens of thousands of Wanzhou residents took to the streets holding anti-British protest signs at Xijiaochang, angrily condemning the brutal massacre carried out by British imperialism, mourning the deceased compatriots, and strongly demanding that the government seek “compensation, punishment of the perpetrators, apologies, and the abolition of all unequal treaties between China and Britain” from the British. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China subsequently issued an emergency notice to all party organizations, calling for a national memorial week for the Wanzhou Massacre to be held from October 5 to 10, proposing a day of national strikes, class boycotts, and market closures to mourn the victims. The CCP’s official publication, the weekly magazine Guide, dedicated a special issue to the “Wanzhou Massacre” on October 10, demonstrating the Party’s firm stance against British imperialism to the world and calling on the people to actively join the anti-imperialist struggle. A sweeping anti-imperialist movement quickly spread from Wanzhou across the nation, with anti-imperialist support organizations emerging in provinces and cities, and protests against British atrocities erupting everywhere. As Zhu De said at the time: “Our 400 million people have been awakened by this blow — everyone now knows that imperialism must be overthrown.” This marked another nationwide anti-imperialist movement following the May Thirtieth Movement of 1925.

In July 2006, the Monument to the Wanzhou Massacre was designated as a Wanzhou District Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the Wanzhou District People’s Government.

Source: Chongqing Party History Website

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