Former Residence of Wang Liang

Former Residence of Wang Liang

The Former Residence of Wang Liang is a cultural tourism attraction.

Wang Liang (a renowned general in the early days of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army and commander of the Fourth Red Army), courtesy name Fuliang, also known as Huagai, was from Yongcheng Township, Qijiang County, Chongqing. He was born on August 5, 1905 (the 5th day of the 7th month in the 30th year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty). In his early years, Wang Liang studied at a private school before attending Qijiang Higher Primary School. In 1917, he was admitted to Chongqing Yinghua Middle School. In the autumn of 1924, he was admitted to Chizhi University in Shanghai. In September 1926, he entered the Whampoa Military Academy. He first studied infantry, then cavalry, achieving outstanding results. While learning military skills, he carefully studied politics and gradually came to understand the principles and direction of China’s revolution. In early 1927, Wang Liang joined the Chinese Communist Party. In June of the same year, he moved with the cavalry department of the Whampoa Military Academy to the Wuhan Military Academy and was later assigned to the Instructional Regiment of the National Revolutionary Army’s Second Front Army. After Chiang Kai-shek launched the “April 12” counter-revolutionary coup, in early August of the same year, the Instructional Regiment evacuated Wuhan and headed to Nanchang to participate in the uprising. Their boat was surrounded by Zhang Fakui at Jiujiang. After wandering for several days, they found the Chinese Communist Party organization in the Xiushui region at the junction of Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangxi.

In September 1927, he participated in the Autumn Harvest Uprising led by Mao Zedong at the Hunan-Jiangxi border, and followed the forces to Jinggangshan, contributing to the establishment of the revolutionary base there.

Wang Liang initially served as the company commander of the 1st Company, 1st Battalion, 31st Regiment of the Fourth Red Army. Soon after, he led his troops in the Huangyangjie Battle to defend Jinggangshan. At that time, due to the main Red Army forces being out on campaign, the Huangyangjie defense battle was an asymmetrical engagement where two Red Army companies faced off against an enemy division. On the morning of August 30, the enemy launched a fierce attack. Wang Liang and political commissar Zhu Liangcai led soldiers to use the advantageous terrain to repel four consecutive enemy charges, leaving the enemy littered with corpses in front of the Red Army positions. The morale of the Red 1st Army soldiers soared, while the enemy became demoralized and retreated to Lingxian County that night. After the battle, Mao Zedong spoke highly of the defense of Huangyangjie.

In April 1928, Zhu De’s forces joined with the workers’ and peasants’ revolutionary army led by Mao Zedong, forming the Fourth Red Army of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’. Wang Liang served as a company commander. In late August of the same year, the Kuomintang deployed the Hunan Army’s Wu Shang unit and the Jiangxi Army’s Wang Jun unit, with a force of four regiments, to attack the Jinggangshan base from two directions. Wang Liang was ordered to lead the Red 1st Company to hold the Huangyangjie position, successfully repelling three enemy charges and securing victory in the Huangyangjie defense battle.

In January 1929, Wang Liang, who had been promoted to detachment commander of the First Column of the Fourth Red Army, was ordered to lead his troops to campaign across southern Jiangxi and advance into western Fujian. He successively participated in battles such as the ambush at Dabaidi, the liberation of Tingzhou, the three captures of Longyan, and the takeover of Shanghang. During the guerrilla operations in western Fujian, the 1st Column of the Red Army ventured deep into Shanghang and Yongding, helping the local party organizations and militias establish rural revolutionary bases, overthrow landlords, distribute land, and set up Soviet governments.

In June 1930, the Red Army underwent reorganization in Changting, establishing the First Red Army Corps, with Wang Liang appointed as commander of the First Column of the Fourth Red Army. In October, the First Column was reorganized into the 10th Division, with Wang Liang as its commander. In November, Chiang Kai-shek mobilized 100,000 troops to launch the first “encirclement and suppression” campaign against the Central Base Area. In late December, the first counter-encirclement campaign began, with the 10th Division tasked with attacking the enemy northwest of Longgang. At dawn on December 28, Wang Liang led the division in a fierce assault on the enemy, who fiercely resisted from behind the cover of a small river. Wang Liang skillfully maneuvered the division to outflank the enemy, cutting off their retreat before launching a fierce attack on their positions. The enemy lines quickly fell into chaos. At that moment, Wang Liang led his troops, together with those under Xiao Ke and Zhang Chinan of the 12th Division, to completely annihilate the 18th Division’s direct units and two brigades, capturing over 9,000 enemies. Among the fleeing enemy, they captured the frontline commander Zhang Huizan, securing victory in the first battle of the first counter-encirclement campaign. Wang Liang was specially commended by Mao Zedong and Zhu De, who awarded him a pocket watch taken from Zhang Huizan. Emotionally, he stated: “I will carry this watch until the final victory of the Chinese revolution.”

In the spring of 1931, Mao Zedong composed a poem praising the victory in the first counter-encirclement campaign, “Yu Jia Ao – Against the First Great Encirclement”:

Countless trees in frosty skies glow bright red, celestial troops seethe with rage reaching the heavens. Mist shrouds Longgang, darkening the peaks, a unified cry rises — Zhang Huizan has been captured up ahead.

Two hundred thousand troops march back into Jiangxi, war smoke billowing halfway to the sky. Awaken the millions of workers and peasants, unite in struggle, beneath Mount Buzhou, red flags wave chaotically.

In 1931, during the defeat of Chiang Kai-shek’s second “encirclement and suppression” campaign against the Central Base Area, Wang Liang led his division in the major battle at Fuchun, annihilating one division of Wang Jinyu’s forces. Then, together with allied forces, they advanced eastward, striking straight from the banks of the Gan River to Jianning City at the foot of the Wuyi Mountains. Sweeping 700 li and winning five battles, they destroyed four divisions including Guo Zonghua’s, securing victory in the second counter-encirclement campaign.

Soon after, the battle to counter Chiang Kai-shek’s third “encirclement and suppression” campaign began. Wang Liang led his forces in coordinated operations with allied troops, successively defeating three enemy divisions — Shangguan Zhixiang, Hao Mengling, and Mao Bingwen — in Liantang, Yongfeng County, Liangcun, Xingguo County, and Huangpi, Ningdu County. In October 1931, the army underwent reorganization, and Wang Liang was appointed commander of the 11th Division of the Fourth Red Army. In November, he was ordered to return to Shicheng County to attack the reactionary stronghold of Hongshi Fort within the county. At dawn on the first day of the new year in 1932, with the support of local guerrilla forces, the assault on the fort began. Wang Liang personally directed operations from the front line. After more than three hours of fighting, the stubborn stronghold was captured, with over 1,300 enemies taken prisoner and more than 1,330 long and short firearms seized. The fort’s leader, Lai Defeng, was captured alive.

In March 1932, the Central Military Commission appointed Wang Liang as commander of the Fourth Red Army, with Luo Ronghuan as political commissar. Subsequently, the 1st and 5th Corps were renamed the Eastern Route Army, advancing into western Fujian, with the Fourth Red Army serving as the main force. At dawn on April 10, Wang Liang swiftly led his troops, capturing Kao Tang and Longmen in a lightning strike, reclaiming the key town of Longshi in western Fujian, and then advancing rapidly toward Tianbao Mountain, the strategic pass outside Zhangzhou City. At dawn on April 19, a general assault was launched on the enemy at Tianbao Mountain. Under the combined assault of the Red Army from both flanks, the defending forces on Tianbao Mountain collapsed entirely. By 3 p.m., the Fourth Red Army had captured Tianbao Town. On the 20th, the Fourth Red Army, along with allied forces, took Zhangzhou City. This campaign annihilated four regiments of the main force of the 49th Division of the Nationalist Army in Fujian, commanded by Zhang Zhen, capturing over 1,600 enemies and seizing more than 2,300 pieces of artillery and two airplanes. The Fourth Red Army continued its advance, liberating a vast area east of Shima and pressuring Xiamen. On May 1, Nationalist troops attempting to land from Dongjiang Bridge under the cover of foreign warships were fiercely repelled by Wang Liang’s forces, thwarting their plans. Soon after, Wang Liang was ordered to lead his troops back to the southern Jiangxi base. On June 13, the troops arrived at the southern Fujian–Jiangxi base. Upon encountering stubborn bandit resistance, Wang Liang, upon learning of the situation, went to survey the enemy. Tragically, he was shot by a sniper from the bandits and died from his wounds.

According to the recollections of several surviving elders in the village, Shanghu Village in Wuping County, Fujian, established a district Soviet government in 1930. Most of the able-bodied young men in the village joined the Red Army, mainly operating along the Fujian–Jiangxi border. In 1932, Deng Rongwen and others from the village accompanied the renowned early Red Army general Wang Liang on the eastern campaign to Zhangzhou. When the Fourth Red Army was returning to the southern Jiangxi base in June and Wang Liang was ambushed and killed by local militia under Lan Qiguan at Dahe Market in Wuping, Fujian, they also participated in “0” combat. Along with 18 soldiers from the guard squad, they dug a tunnel by the Dahe River, planning to use a “coffin cannon” to bomb Lan Qiguan’s residence. Later, they received orders from their superiors to restrain themselves and only blow up a corner of the residence as punishment. After delivering Wang Liang’s remains back to Yonglong Township in Jiangxi, the hundreds of Red Army troops responsible for covering the retreat were surrounded by the Nationalist Central Army and forces under Zhong Shaokui and Lan Qiguan. After a day and night of fierce fighting, very few managed to break through. The lucky survivors from Shanghu Village were subsequently separated from their units.

When Commander Wang Liang tragically sacrificed his life, he was only 27 years old. Before his death, he left the pocket watch to Luo Ronghuan. Luo Ronghuan fulfilled Wang Liang’s wish, carrying the watch with him until the nation’s victory.

Currently, the former residence of Wang Liang in Qijiang is under restoration. The protection and development of the former residence of Wang Liang located in Yongcheng Town, Qijiang District, have been put on the agenda by Qijiang District authorities, and implementation has begun.

Address: Yongcheng Town, Qijiang District;

Phone: 48489098.

Information source: Dengkou County Tourism Bureau