Taihang-Taiyue Martyrs' Cemetery

Taihang-Taiyue Martyrs' Cemetery

The Taihang-Taiyue Martyrs' Cemetery is a cultural tourism attraction, a classic red tourism site, and a patriotic education base.

The Taihang-Taiyue Martyrs' Cemetery is located on Meihui Slope in Changzhi City. It was established in accordance with the resolution of the Second Session of the First Council of the Shanxi-Hebei-Henan-Shandong Border Region in March 1946, to commemorate the outstanding sons and daughters of the Chinese nation who heroically sacrificed their lives in the Taihang and Taiyue regions during the War of Resistance against Japan. The cemetery was completed in 1951. The total area covers 94.6 million square meters. The cemetery has two entrances, south and east, with the south gate serving as the main entrance. The walls on both sides of the gate feature a couplet personally inscribed by Comrade Rong Zihuo: "The heroic deeds bring happiness to the nation; the martyrs’ blood and sweat lay the foundation—".

Upon entering the cemetery, lush pines and blooming flowers create a solemn and respectful atmosphere. At the center of the cemetery stands the Taihang-Taiyue Martyrs Monument, which is 23 meters tall and the most prominent structure in the cemetery. The body of the monument is made entirely of bluestone, with a 5-centimeter-thick layer of white marble on the surface. The pure white monument symbolizes the martyrs' noble and intangible virtues. The front of the monument bears nine crimson-painted characters inscribed by Comrade Cheng Zihua, Chairman of the People's Government of the Shanxi-Hebei-Henan-Shandong Border Region: "Taihang-Taiyue Martyrs Monument." The back features an inscription by Comrade —: "The people’s cause remembers you." The four sides at the base of the monument are engraved with inscriptions by national leaders such as —, —, Yang Xiufeng, Li Da, Rong Zihuo, Pei Lisheng, Wang Xinting, and Wang Hefeng, as well as the epitaph written by Comrade —. These inscriptions and the epitaph shine brilliantly under the surrounding lighting.

Directly north of the monument, at the very center, is a grand "品"-shaped Martyrs Memorial Hall. Hanging at the center of the hall are large portraits of Mao Zedong and other national leaders. Around them are portraits of 33 martyrs, and the urns containing their ashes are enshrined here. Among them are five generals, including the famous senior commander of the Eighth Route Army and Deputy Chief of Staff, Zuo Quan, as well as Zhou Ping, one of the 18 brave soldiers who crossed the Dadu River during the Long March, and Zhao Hengde, the Taihang First-Class Enemy-Slaying Hero who captured Japanese Major General Suzuki Kawashima, the overall military advisor stationed in Shanxi. On the east and west sides of the memorial hall are martyr exhibition rooms, displaying over 120 revolutionary martyrs. They came from all over the country to the Taihang and Taiyue anti-Japanese revolutionary bases to resist the Japanese invaders and defend the motherland. They fought bravely and fearlessly in battle, sacrificing their last drop of blood and giving up their precious lives. Behind the memorial hall lies the martyrs’ cemetery.

The remains of Wu Shimin, a martyr and commander of the 98th Army of the National Revolutionary Army, are also buried here. Wu Shimin was born in 1892 in Chaigoubao Town, Huai’an County, Hebei Province. He joined the Tongmenghui in his early years and later served in the National Army. At the start of the War of Resistance, he actively advocated for and participated in the fight against Japan. In September 1941, over 20,000 Japanese troops surrounded and "swept" the 98th Army’s garrison in Dongyu and Xiyu, Qinshui County. During the fierce battle, he fought bravely with unyielding determination until he ran out of ammunition and food, ultimately sacrificing his life heroically. Upon hearing the news of his death, General Zuo Quan, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Eighth Route Army, wrote a heartfelt elegiac couplet: "Loyal to the nation and the people, striving for unity and progress, a man of integrity like you is rare in a lifetime; resolute in resisting the enemy behind enemy lines, heroic to the point of sacrificing oneself, your military strategies over the years are deeply cherished." To commemorate this patriotic general, the People’s Government of Shanxi Province held a grand burial ceremony for him here in November 1984. Every year during the Qingming Festival, people come to pay their respects at the martyrs’ graves, offering flowers as a token of deep remembrance and mourning. Their glorious deeds will last forever, and their heroic names will be remembered for eternity. The martyrs who bravely sacrificed their lives for the motherland will live forever in the hearts of the Taihang people.