Rongjiang Martyrs' Cemetery

Rongjiang Martyrs' Cemetery

Rongjiang Martyrs' Cemetery is a cultural tourism attraction and a classic red tourism site.

Rongjiang Martyrs' Cemetery is located on Guangdong Mountain to the south of the county town, about 2.5 kilometers from the town center. It is roughly 1 kilometer away if you cross the river from

Dahekou in the southern part of the town, and it is the largest martyrs' cemetery in Rongjiang County.

Rongjiang Martyrs' Cemetery was first built on December 11, 1985, and is surrounded by the whispering pines. To the north, it connects to the beautiful and enchanting "Wurong Mountain," faces the magnificent Rongjiang Bridge, the prosperous "Sanbao" Dong village, and the three-peaked "Bijia Mountain." To the south, it overlooks the surging Duiliu River. Looking westward, the undulating foothills of Ximenpo are covered with lush greenery, and the thriving town of Rongjiang comes into view... At the foot of the cemetery mountain, there is a concrete stairway consisting of 144 steps, each step approximately

20 centimeters high. On the flat ground at the mountaintop, a memorial monument has been erected. The base of the monument is 1 meter high and covers an area of 91.5 square meters

, with the surrounding base paved with terrazzo, smooth and level. The perimeter is enclosed by brick-capped cement railings, 60 centimeters high. The monument consists of three parts: the face, the body, and the base. The base is square, 2 meters high and 2.4 meters wide. The body

is made of reinforced concrete, surfaced with emerald-colored mosaic and terrazzo. It is narrower at the top and wider at the bottom, standing 15 meters tall and facing north. The front is inlaid with porcelain tiles featuring eight bold, upright characters in regular script: "Revolutionary Heroes Live Forever." On the back of the base, two stone tablets are inlaid side by side, each 1.51 meters long and 88 centimeters wide. The inscriptions in regular script, carved in intaglio, read: "The history of the Chinese revolution is a glorious and great one. For over half a century, people of all ethnicities across the country, under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, have fought bravely and selflessly, overthrowing the reactionary rule of imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucratic capitalism, and establishing the People's Republic of China. Since then, our Chinese nation has stood tall like a giant in the East. We have moved forward with vigor and unity to build socialism and create the brightest future for humanity.

To commemorate the revolutionary martyrs from Rongjiang who sacrificed their precious lives for the birth of New China, for defending the dignity of the motherland and the happy life of the people; to honor the martyrs of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army who valiantly fell in 1930 while fighting across Guizhou and Guangxi and capturing Rongjiang County Town (Guzhou); to remember the martyrs of the Fourth and Second Field Armies of the Chinese People's Liberation Army who died in 1949 and 1950 liberating Rongjiang; and to pay tribute to the revolutionary martyrs who gave their lives for the socialist revolution and construction of our county. May the spirits of the martyrs live on with heaven and earth, their valor shine alongside the sun and moon, their loyal bones rest with the Miao Mountains, and their lofty aspirations endure with the Duiliu River. In accordance with the resolution of the Third Session of the Eighth Rongjiang County People's Congress, the Rongjiang County People's Government selected this site on the mountain south of the county town to build this martyrs' cemetery and erect this monument. It serves to educate the present and future generations, inherit the revolutionary tradition, inspire the national spirit, uphold the socialist direction, and foster communist ideals. Let us strive to defend the Great Wall, revitalize China, and build a strong modern socialist country."

About 10 meters to the left of the monument lie the graves of 29 revolutionary martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the civil war and the period of socialist construction. Among them are Hu Bingduo and Lian Guoliang from Rongjiang (both martyred during the First Civil War),

Luo Tongyi (martyred during the Second Civil War), as well as cadres and soldiers such as Huang Hanqi of the Red Seventh Army who died in April 1930 during the battle to capture Rongjiang Town. There are also the graves of several soldiers who died during the Long March in December 1934, and those who heroically sacrificed their lives in the Liberation War and the Self-Defense Counterattack War. These martyr graves are all encircled by concrete, circular in shape, 1.36 meters high, and 9.3 meters in circumference. This site is not only

a sacred place to commemorate the great achievements of the revolutionary martyrs but also serves as an educational and inspirational site for the living and future generations. Every year during the Qingming Festival, local government officials, school teachers and students, and residents visit the cemetery to sweep the tombs, offer wreaths, mourn the martyrs, pay tribute, and receive revolutionary tradition education. Some out-of-town visitors also come to pay their respects to the martyrs' graves while traveling and exploring in Rongjiang, vowing to inherit and carry forward the revolutionary spirit of the martyrs and contribute to the socialist modernization of the motherland.

In November 1987, the Rongjiang County People's Government designated the martyrs' cemetery as a county-level cultural relics protection unit.

It is not only a sacred place to commemorate the revolutionary martyrs' great achievements, but also a site for educating and inspiring both the present and future generations. Every year during the Qingming Festival, local government officials, employees, school teachers and students, as well as the general public, flock to the Martyrs' Cemetery to sweep the tombs, lay wreaths, honor the fallen heroes, express their grief, and receive education on revolutionary traditions. Some visitors from other regions who come to Rongjiang for tourism and cultural exploration also pay their respects at the martyrs' graves, vowing to inherit and carry forward the revolutionary spirit of the martyrs and contribute to the socialist modernization of the motherland.

In November 1987, the People's Government of Rongjiang County designated the Martyrs' Cemetery as a county-level cultural relics protection unit.