Monument to the Third Anniversary of the War of Resistance Against Japan

Monument to the Third Anniversary of the War of Resistance Against Japan

The Monument to the Third Anniversary of the War of Resistance Against Japan is a cultural relic protection unit of Shanxi Province.

Monument to the Third Anniversary of the War of Resistance Against Japan

Monument to the Third Anniversary of the War of Resistance Against Japan (First Batch of Provincial Protected Sites)

Era: 1940

Location: Houzhai Village, Xijing Town, 35 km north of Cheng County, Licheng County

The monument’s full name is: “Monument to the Eighth Route Army (18th Group Army of the National Revolutionary Army) Commemorating Three Years of Resistance Behind Enemy Lines.” It was constructed in September 1940. Due to serious soil erosion at its foundation, which endangered the base of the tower, it was relocated in June 1986 to a small hillside near Xiazhai Village in the same town, 3 km from the original site, adjacent to the Licheng-Zuoquan Highway.

The monument is a five-faced, straight-edged, pointed-top structure, standing 6.3 meters tall. It has a rectangular base, measuring 13.3 meters in length, 11.3 meters in width, and 1.5 meters in height. The base of the tower is inlaid with stone steles on all five sides.

The inscriptions on the monument document and praise the heroic struggle of the Eighth Route Army under the leadership of the Party during those three extremely challenging years. Despite harsh conditions, they fought bravely against the enemy, achieved glorious victories, thwarted the enemy's arrogance, turned the tide of war, established the anti-Japanese democratic base in the Shanxi-Hebei-Henan border region behind enemy lines, inspired the confidence of the people nationwide in the resistance, and solidified the belief that under Party leadership, the self-reliant Eighth Route Army would surely triumph in the war and achieve national reconstruction.

Houzhai Village: Houzhai Village in Xijing Town has a total of 156 households and 494 residents, including three natural villages: Shaling, Houzhai, and Xigeda. In recent years, with the care and support of higher-level authorities, Houzhai Village has made significant progress in various aspects. The villagers are simple, kind-hearted, and united in mutual assistance. … More detailed information about Houzhai Village++

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Shanxi Province