Site of Tongcai Middle School – Former Activity Site of the Special Branch of the CPC at Tongcai Middle School

Site of Tongcai Middle School – Former Activity Site of the Special Branch of the CPC at Tongcai Middle School

The site of Tongcai Middle School (formerly Tongcai Primary School) is located at No. 368, Wenhua Street, Zhugen Town, Wutongqiao District, Leshan City.

In the summer of 1938, Communist Party member He Guogan returned to Wutongqiao and took on the roles of Chairman of the Wutongqiao Salt Industry Association, Council Member of the Wutongqiao Anti-Japanese War Support Association, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Private Tongcai Middle School. Using his position as cover, he reported to the Provincial Party Committee and requested additional revolutionary forces. Following instructions from the Provincial Party Committee, He Guogan hired Communist Party member Li Jiazhong as principal of Tongcai Middle School, and also appointed over ten other Communist Party members and progressive youths—including Liao Youtao, Zhao Juntao, Zhang Yuanding, Zhuo Wenyu, and Lu Liangbi—as teachers at Tongcai Middle and Primary Schools. In September, with the approval of the Jiaxing Work Committee of the CPC, the Special Branch of the CPC at Tongcai Middle School in Wutongqiao was established, with Liao Youtao and later Zhu Zehuai serving as secretaries. After its establishment, the Special Branch actively led progressive teachers and students at Tongcai Middle and Primary Schools in organizing anti-Japanese salvation propaganda activities. They formed the “Forge Society” and published the magazine “Forge.” A night school for the public was also set up at Jingwang Temple to promote the cause of resisting Japan and saving the nation. The Tongcai Special Branch focused on recruiting young students from the school to expand its membership and strengthen the Party organization. By the first half of 1939, more than 80 members had joined. However, this also led to some progressive youths who were not yet qualified being admitted into the Party, resulting in horizontal connections among members and the exposure of Party secrets. In response, the County Central Committee sent personnel to rectify the situation, suspending all Party activities, removing those who did not meet membership standards, withdrawing those who were exposed but met the criteria, and reorganizing the 20 remaining Party members at the school into several parallel groups based on class and grade levels. These groups operated under a one-line contact system and were placed under the leadership of the Wutongqiao District Committee of the CPC, thus bringing the Special Branch of Tongcai Middle School to an end.

On March 27, 1998, the Leshan Municipal Government designated it as a municipal-level key cultural relics protection unit. It is currently used by the Painting and Calligraphy Academy of the Wutongqiao District Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in Leshan City.

Zhugen Town: A town under the jurisdiction of Wutongqiao District, Leshan City, and the seat of the district government. Before 1949, it was known as Wutong Town. In 1951, Zhugen Town was established, renamed Qiaotan Town in 1956, and divided into Qiaotan Town and Zhugen Commune in 1958. In 1962, Qiaotan Town was abolished and Wutong Town was re-established (renamed Wutong Subdistrict in 1984), along with Zhugen Town. In 1984, Zhugen Commune was restructured as Zhugen Township. In 1987, Zhugen Township was merged into Zhugen Town, and in 1992, Wutong Subdistrict was also merged into Zhugen Town. Located in the central part of the district, it covers an area of 16.2 square kilometers and has a population of 60,000. Major roads include the Leshan–Neijiang and Leshan–Leibo highways... More detailed information about Zhugen Town++