Langzhong Red Army Martyrs Memorial Park

Langzhong Red Army Martyrs Memorial Park

Langzhong Red Army Martyrs Memorial Park is a national AAA-level tourist attraction, a classic red tourism site, and a base for patriotic and national defense education.

Langzhong was an important part of the Sichuan-Shaanxi Soviet Area and one of the departure points for the Long March of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army. From 1933 to 1935, the Fourth Front Army operated in Langzhong for three years. Over 20,000 outstanding locals joined the Red Army. Major battles such as the Counter-Thrice-Encirclement Campaign, the Counter-Sixth-Encirclement Campaign, and the Historic Crossing of the Jialing River were fought here. A total of over 8,000 Red Army martyrs sacrificed their lives and are recorded in the official registry. The history forged by these martyrs with their loyalty, blood, and lives has left us with an incredibly valuable spiritual legacy that deserves to be forever cherished and commemorated.

In 1996, the Langzhong Municipal Party Committee and Government constructed the Red Army Martyrs Memorial Hall on Huanghua Mountain, overlooking the ancient city of Langzhong across the river. This facility was mainly dedicated to commemorating and honoring the Red Army martyrs, displaying their relics, spreading red culture, and conducting patriotic and national defense education. However, the 5.12 earthquake severely damaged its exhibition halls and most infrastructure, rendering them largely non-functional. Seizing the opportunity of post-disaster reconstruction, we undertook the restoration and expansion of the Red Army Martyrs Memorial Hall, officially renaming it the “Langzhong Red Army Martyrs Memorial Park.” The completed memorial park is situated east of the ancient Dafo Temple, south of the developing Qili New District, west of the renowned Jinpingshan Scenic Area, and north of Langzhong Ancient City and the Jialing River. It spans 108.42 acres—10 times larger than the original site—and is divided into five zones and one garden: “Jiuliujizhou District,” ”Xinghuo Liaoyuan District,” “Shanhe Mingyi District,” “Jinge Suiyue District,” “Bixue Qianqiu District,” and the “Martyrs’ Garden.” The layout is grand and the functions comprehensive. Notably, it added three major thematic sculptures—“The Historic Crossing of the Jialing River,” “Farewell to the Soviet Area,” and “Women of the Western Route Red Army”—along with a Red Army Square, the Stairway of Revolution, the “One Flag Five Emblems,” the Revolutionary Martyrs Monument, a Wall of Merit, a Wall of Martyrs’ Names, and a cultural wall titled “The Red Army in Langzhong.” Additionally, a new Martyrs Cemetery was built, with 24 new monuments erected. The exhibition hall was also renovated, showcasing the stories of prominent martyrs such as Du Guanghua, Song Lie, and Xiao Dongping. Over 400 pieces of Red Army martyr relics have been collected and displayed. The expanded memorial park now boasts richer cultural significance, stronger artistic appeal, and more prominent educational value. It serves as a red tourism destination integrating commemoration, education, and leisure.

Since its inception, to honor the Red Army and the martyrs and to pass down the revolutionary spirit from generation to generation, under the leadership of the Civil Affairs Bureau, we have made full use of the facilities of the memorial park. We actively promote commemoration, delve deeper into the deeds of the Red Army and martyrs, continually enrich our collections, and have organized over 200 exhibitions and lectures focused on their stories. These efforts aim to widely publicize the spirit of the martyrs, spread red culture, and preserve cherished revolutionary traditions. We also strive to fulfill our educational mission by utilizing our unique resources. In collaboration with schools, military units, and enterprises, through various interactive approaches—including listening, speaking, singing, and sharing—we have carried out over 300 diverse educational activities in the park, including mourning ceremonies and oath renewals. These activities have provided valuable education to the citizens of Langzhong, especially its youth.

Since the park's opening, we have actively improved our organizational structure and management systems. The municipal staffing committee approved seven full-time positions, and we recruited seven cleaning staff through open selection. We have diligently clarified the responsibilities of every staff member, standardized employee conduct, and worked hard to provide high-quality services to visiting tourists, relatives of martyrs, and various other groups. This has ensured efficient operations. We have received multiple commendations from families of martyrs for our work. We have also successfully co-hosted large-scale memorial ceremonies with schools, military units, and enterprises.

In 2009, the Langzhong Red Army Martyrs Memorial Park was designated as a “Sichuan Provincial National Defense Education Base” by the People’s Government of Sichuan Province. In June 2011, it was recognized as a “Provincial-Level Patriotic Education Base” by the Publicity Department of the Sichuan Provincial Committee. In January 2014, it was approved by the Sichuan Provincial People’s Government as a Key Provincial-Level Protected Site for Martyrs' Memorials. In recent years, it has annually welcomed 400,000 to 500,000 visitors from all walks of life for mourning, memorial services, oath-taking, sightseeing, and commemorative activities. The site has effectively fulfilled its core function of “honoring martyrs and educating the public,” becoming a vital window and platform for spiritual and cultural development. Its irreplaceable educational significance extends not only across Sichuan but also nationally, yielding remarkable social impact.