Former Site of the Jinnan Bank in Xiaozhai

Former Site of the Jinnan Bank in Xiaozhai

The former site of the Jinnan Bank in Xiaozhai is a cultural relic protection unit of Shanxi Province.

The former site of the Jinnan Bank is located in Xiaozhai Village, Huangyadong Town, Licheng County. Nestled against mountains and beside water, the area boasts pleasant scenery. In spring, wildflowers blanket the hills; in summer, clouds and mist envelop the landscape; in autumn, pear and peach trees dot the slopes; and in winter, everything is draped in silvery white. It is close to the Eighth Route Army Arsenal in Huangyadong, the former headquarters of the Eighth Route Army in Wuxiang, and the former headquarters of the 129th Division in Majiadian, Zuoquan.

The site was originally the ancestral home of Mr. Yan Qiubao, an enlightened local figure, and is a late Qing Dynasty residential building. Currently preserved are the former sites of the Jinnan Bank Head Office, the Political Department of the Head Office, and the banknote printing factory, covering a total area of 25,000 square meters. The site features a basic exhibition on the development history of the Jinnan Bank. It is the only well-preserved former site of a base area bank in China, boasting high historical and tourism value.

Background Information

In early 1939, as the War of Resistance against Japan entered a stalemate phase, the Japanese army had occupied many cities and controlled major transportation lines, imposing tight blockades and launching frenzied “mopping-up” operations against anti-Japanese bases. This severely damaged the economy and finances of the Jinnan and Taihang bases. To break through the Japanese economic blockade, the Northern Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Border Region Government decided to establish their own financial institution—the Jinnan Bank—to issue Jinnan currency, unify the regional currency, ensure supply, and develop the economy. On October 15, 1939, the Jinnan Bank was officially established in Xiaozhai Village, Licheng County, with Gao Jie serving as its first president. The Jinnan Bank Head Office was stationed in Xiaozhai Village for nine years. Over that period, a total of 47 types of local currency and 9 types of promissory notes were issued, with a cumulative issuance of 2.0127 trillion Jinnan yuan. In August 1948, it merged with the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region Bank to form the Huabei Bank, which later combined with the Beihai Bank, Northwest Farmers Bank, and Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Region Bank to establish the People’s Bank of China.

Xiaozhai Village: Overview of Xiaozhai Village

Our Xiaozhai Village in Huangyadong Town is located in the northern mountainous area of Licheng County. The village has 287 households and a population of 839, with 315 acres of arable land. It is a key provincial-level new rural construction village this year. The village is home to the nationally renowned former site of the Jinnan Bank. In 2009, the total collective income of farmers was 6.5 million yuan, with per capita net income exceeding 4,100 yuan.

In recent years, the Village Party Branch and Village Committee have united and led all villagers in actively advancing new rural construction, achieving remarkable results. A total of 150,000 yuan was invested to build a village entrance archway; 200,000 yuan was invested to construct commercial rental... More detailed information about Xiaozhai Village++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Shanxi Province