Site of the Zunyi Conference

Site of the Zunyi Conference

The Site of the Zunyi Conference is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, a major historical and cultural site protected at the national level, a classic red tourism destination, and a patriotic education base.

The Site of the Zunyi Conference is situated on the east side of Ziyin Road (formerly Pipa Bridge) in the old town of Zunyi. It was originally the private mansion of General Bai Hui-zhang, commander of the 2nd Division of the 25th Army of the Guizhou Army, and was constructed in the early 1930s. The building is divided into the main structure and the wing courtyard. The main building combines Chinese and Western elements, featuring eight storefronts along the street that were once used by the owner to trade in sauces, vinegar, pigments, and paper. At the center of the storefronts stands a small archway, beneath which hangs a black-lacquered gold plaque inscribed with the six characters “Site of the Zunyi Conference” written by Mao Zedong in November 1964 (this being the only inscription Mao made for a revolutionary memorial site across China).

Connecting the street-facing buildings with the main structure and the wing courtyard is a blue-brick memorial archway. The upper part of the archway is inlaid with the Chinese characters “Wei Lu” (Comforting Abode) in shards of blue porcelain. The other side of the archway bears the characters “Shen Du” (Prudence and Integrity). The main building of the Zunyi Conference Site faces south and has one basement and one above-ground floor. It is L-shaped in plan, built from brick and wood, with a hip-and-gable roof covered in small blue tiles. The building is encircled by a veranda, with a dormer window on the roof. From the upper-floor corridors, visitors can take in the sweeping views of the surrounding lush, towering mountains and identify historical battle sites such as Honghua Hill, Qizhi Hill, Yuping Hill, and Fenghuang Hill—locations where the Red Army fought fiercely during their second capture of Zunyi. The doors and windows of the main building are painted in chestnut brown, and all the windows are fitted with stained glass. The adjacent wing courtyard is a purely wooden quadrangle, also painted chestnut brown.

In early January 1935, after the First Front Army of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army arrived in Zunyi during the Long March, the headquarters of the Central Revolutionary Military Commission and its First Bureau (responsible for operations) were stationed in this building. From 1954 to the present, the rooms in the main building have been gradually restored to reflect their original functions, including the Zunyi Conference meeting room, the office of the General Staff of the Military Commission, the office and living quarters of the Vice-Chairman of the Military Commission, the office and living quarters of Commander-in-Chief of the Red Army and Political Instructor of the Military Commission Directly-Subordinate Units Kang Keqing, the office and living quarters of the Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army, and the living quarters of the staff and personnel of the Military Commission Headquarters.

The Zunyi Conference meeting room is located upstairs and was originally the owner’s small sitting room. Covering an area of 36 square meters, it is rectangular in shape. At the center of the ceiling hangs a Western-style chandelier with lotus-shaped lampshades. On the east wall are a wall clock (original) and two built-in cabinets (original), one of which has an integrated mirror. The west wall features a row of bright glass windows. At the center of the room is a chestnut-brown rectangular table (original), surrounded by 20 wooden-framed rattan-back folding chairs—these were used by the attendees of the Zunyi Conference. Beneath the table is a charcoal brazier used for heating at the time.

The office of the General Staff of the Military Commission (Operations Room) is located directly downstairs opposite the Zunyi Conference meeting room. It covers an area of 56 square meters and consists of two rectangular rooms separated by a foldable six-panel door. At the center of the room are two large black-lacquered tables, on which sit iron-base lanterns, staplers, letterheads of the Central Revolutionary Military Commission of the Chinese Soviet Republic, envelopes made of newspaper, provincial atlases published by the Commercial Press in the 1930s, and the “Field Diary,” among other items. Below the west windows are two three-drawer desks with two leather-cased telephones on top and wire spools beneath. Below the east windows are a pair of gray-brown metal document boxes.

On the north wall is displayed a large map of the border region of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, adorned with small red and blue triangular flags indicating the military positions of both the enemy and the Red Army during the Zunyi Conference. At the time, key figures such as the Vice-Chairman of the Military Commission, the Commander-in-Chief of the Red Army, and the Chief of the General Staff often worked here, strategizing how to break free from the Nationalist Army’s encirclement and lead the Red Army toward victory.

Address: No. 96, Ziyin Road, Honghuagang District, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province

Rating: AAAA

Phone: 0851-28222052

Opening Hours:

Summer: 8:30–17:00; Winter: 8:30–17:00

Transportation:

Take Bus No. 9 and get off at the “Conference Site Station.” Alternatively, as Zunyi is not a large city, it is about a 20-minute walk from the city center at Dingzi Kou.

Admission:

Free entry; present your ID to receive one free ticket

Old Town Streets: The Old Town Subdistrict Office is located in the northwest of Honghuagang District, Zunyi City, covering an area of 3.4 square kilometers. It governs seven community committees: Daxing Road, Honghuagang, Guanjing, Nanmen, Fuhoushan, Beimen, and the Memorial Hall, with a total population of over 40,000. The Old Town area houses the Party, government, and military organs of Zunyi City and serves as its political, economic, cultural, and commercial center. Nestled at the foot of the majestic Phoenix Mountain and along the winding Xiangjiang River are world-famous revolutionary landmarks such as the Site of the Zunyi Conference, the Red Army Martyrs’ Cemetery, the General Political Department of the Red Army, and the former site of the Chinese Soviet Bank. Biyun Road, Zi... More details about the Old Town Subdistrict++

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Guizhou Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· First Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level