Site of the Defensive Battle of the Militia's Cave Dwellings in Changxing Village during the Anti-Japanese War

Site of the Defensive Battle of the Militia's Cave Dwellings in Changxing Village during the Anti-Japanese War

The Site of the Defensive Battle of the Militia's Cave Dwellings in Changxing Village during the Anti-Japanese War is a cultural relic protection unit of Shanxi Province.

Site of the Defensive Battle of the Militia's Cave Dwellings in Changxing Village during the Anti-Japanese War

Site of the Defensive Battle of the Militia's Cave Dwellings in Changxing Village during the Anti-Japanese War (First Batch of Provincial Protected Sites)

Era: Anti-Japanese War

Address: Changxing Village, Dongjingling Township, Huguan County

During the Anti-Japanese War, Changxing Village was located in an area where enemy forces, puppet troops, and die-hard nationalists intersected. It also served as a frontline position for the anti-Japanese government led by the Communist Party. Under the Party’s leadership, to persist in the struggle against the enemy over the long term and to more effectively strike and eliminate the enemy, in the winter of 1943, the villagers utilized the advantage of the village being surrounded by mountains on three sides and the existing “old tunnels” from underground coal mining. In the cave dwellings on the southwestern hill of the village, they constructed “militia combat caves,” and also created an entrance from the village that connected to the combat cave passages. Building upon the original old tunnels, they transformed and expanded them into a zigzag-shaped tunnel and cave system over four li (approximately two kilometers) in length. The tunnels and caves had three exits (one in the village, one on the southern hill, and one on the western hill), and one ventilation shaft (as well as another vertical shaft). A watchtower was built above the cave entrance in the village. The construction of the caves and the watchtower turned them into a strong fortress under the leadership of the village Party branch, enabling the villagers to persevere in their resistance against the enemy and defend against Japanese “mopping-up” operations. The militia and cadres of Changxing Village, along with the local masses, held out in these caves for as long as four days and nights in the renowned “Battle of the Changxing Caves,” which became famous across the Taihang region and the entire nation.

A key provincial cultural relic protection unit. Located in Changxing Village, approximately 40 kilometers south of Huguan County, Shanxi Province. The cave system was reconstructed from an old coal mine, stretching 2,000 meters in depth with varying widths. Inside the cave were an ammunition depot, a food storage area, and temporary offices. There were also three air vents and one concealed exit. Above the cave entrance, an 8-meter-high brick-and-stone watchtower measuring 4 meters in both length and width was built. After the founding of New China, to commemorate the site, 17 new structures were built, including exhibition halls, offices, meeting rooms, and dormitories. Surrounded by hills, the area is shaded by lush pines and locust trees, offering a captivating landscape.

In 1939, Japanese invaders occupied Huguan County, while the 27th Army occupied the southern part of the county. Changxing Village became a frontline position in our anti-Japanese efforts. The militia combat team of Changxing Village frequently launched attacks against the Japanese, leading to sharp and intense conflicts between the two sides. The Japanese harbored deep hatred for the militia of Changxing Village and sought revenge. In the early hours of July 21 of the lunar calendar in 1944, a small Japanese squad set out from Lingchuan County, leading the Second Division of the Shanxi Pacification Army against Communists and the defected Fifth Squadron of the Security Forces, totaling over 500 men, and surrounded Changxing Village. Upon receiving intelligence, Xu Shunhai, the village committee director, and Zhang Xiaobao, the militia captain, led 17 core militiamen to intercept the enemy outside the village, covering the safe evacuation of the villagers into the underground tunnel-cave system built in 1943 using the old coal mine. After finding the village empty, the enemy grew even more frenzied. They resorted to brutal methods such as releasing poison gas through the air vents and smoking out the villagers in an attempt to annihilate them. Under conditions of no external reinforcements and scarce supplies and ammunition, our anti-Japanese militiamen fought a life-or-death battle against the Japanese for four days and four nights until, on July 25, the Huguan County Martial Committee, Independent Battalion, and District Militia Team, together with militias from surrounding villages, drove back the Japanese, rescuing the villagers from the caves.

The glorious achievement of the Changxing Village militia holding out for four days and four nights earned praise from higher-level Party committees. In November 1944, at the “Taihang Region Masses Meeting” held by the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Border Region in the Taihang area, Xu Shunhai and Zhang Xiaobao were awarded the honorable title of “First-Class Anti-Enemy Heroes of the Core Region” and presented with “Anti-Enemy Hero” medals.

After the founding of New China, Xu Shunhai and Zhang Xiaobao attended the National Militia Representatives Conference in 1951 and 1960 respectively, where they were received by central leaders including Chairman Mao, Premier Zhou, and Commander Zhu, and each was awarded a semi-automatic rifle. Some of the weapons they used are still on display at the Military Museum of the Chinese Revolution. This battle has become a classic example in the history of China’s militia warfare. On May 24, 1965, the People’s Government of Shanxi Province designated it as one of the first batch of provincial key cultural relic protection units, and in 1987, special funds were allocated to comprehensively renovate the watchtower and buildings.

Changxing Village: Changxing Village is located 35 kilometers southeast of Huguan County, covering an area of 2 square kilometers. The village has 157 households and a population of over 430 people, with 1,290 mu (approximately 86 hectares) of arable land and a total grain output of 210,000 kilograms. The per capita income is over 1,800 yuan, and the frost-free period is 120 days. The village has 36 Party members, and agriculture is the main industry. … Detailed information about Changxing Village++

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Shanxi Province