Former Residence of Martyr Liu Pingkai

Former Residence of Martyr Liu Pingkai

The Former Residence of Martyr Liu Pingkai is a cultural tourism attraction and a classic red tourism site.

The former residence of Martyr Liu Pingkai is located at No. 11 Dongzheng Street in the county town. Originally built by his father in the 18th year of the Guangxu reign (1902), it covers an area of approximately 2,000 square meters, with a building area of over 400 square meters. It consists of two front and back houses, a courtyard, and a garden. Both houses are made of wood and stone, with a total width of 12 meters and a depth of 7 meters, consisting of one ground floor and one upper floor, featuring a single-eave suspended gable roof. The buildings face north and are situated along the southern street. After 1950, they were repurposed and underwent several phases of disuse, leaving only ruins today.

On October 22, 1986, the People's Government of Yiliang County designated it as part of the "First Batch of County-Level Cultural Relics Protection Units."

Address: No. 11 Dongzheng Street, Yiliang County Town

Liu Pingkai (1902–1930) was a native of Yiliang County, Yunnan Province. His courtesy name was Lüduan, also known as Shaoyou, Shaohong, Shaoyou, and Shaoyou, and he used aliases such as Chen Boyan, Yifei, and Zhuzhuan. He was born on October 9, 1902, in Jiaokui Town, Yiliang County. In May 1922, he went to Beijing, where he studied successively at the National Beijing Academy of Fine Arts and the National Beijing Esperanto Specialized School. During this time, influenced by revolutionaries such as Li Dazhao and Deng Zhongxia, he began to explore Marxism-Leninism and actively participated in anti-imperialist and patriotic struggles. He joined the Chinese Socialist Youth League in 1924 and became a member of the Communist Party of China in 1925.

On the third day of the fifth lunar month in 1922, over a hundred family members, relatives, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances from the Liu Enpu household in Jiaokui Town by the Luoze River in Yiliang County, Zhaotong, gathered at the Bamling Bridgehead to see off their eldest son Liu Pingkai, who was going to Beijing to study. Kneeling before his sister Liu Guanghui, Liu Pingkai pleaded with her to take care of their parents and siblings in his stead. Their mother, with tears in her eyes, urged him to return home as soon as he completed his studies. Meanwhile, his wife was already sobbing uncontrollably, creating a deeply emotional and heart-wrenching scene. Holding back the pain of departure, Liu Pingkai recited his own poem: “Grieving over the past, chasing illusions in dreams, regretting not achieving great deeds, lamenting the vicissitudes of the world,” expressing his sorrow at parting from loved ones and fellow villagers as he ventured far away.

The Twists and Turns of a Quest for Knowledge

Setting off from Yiliang, Liu Pingkai walked for 17 days to Kunming, then traveled by train and ship via Hekou, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, arriving in Beijing after 21 days. His experiences along the way were recorded in his “Beijing Travel Diary.”

In his diary, he reflected on his feelings about riding the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway: “From the age of seven when I first tied my hair to study, until now at the age of twenty, reflecting on myself, I have achieved nothing, and the future is uncertain. I must strive diligently in my studies to fulfill my original intentions.” “When I graduated from middle school, it was also a time of family hardship. My long-cherished desire to study almost turned into a bubble. Fortunately, thanks to the kindness of elders… they all advised my father to take a bold step. My father then borrowed money from relatives and friends to make this journey possible for me. Now that I am on my way, how dare I not study and work hard… With a whistle, the speeding train carries me away from my loved ones.”

His four days in Vietnam left a deep impression on him. Under French imperialist rule, Vietnam was shrouded in darkness. Immigration inspections, carried out under the guise of “protection,” involved rummaging through luggage, leaving everything in disarray, seemingly intent on finding “prohibited items” to punish. If none were found, the inspectors would act pretentiously and mockingly. The invaders were arrogant, while the enslaved people fawned over their masters for survival, deliberately humiliating fellow Chinese to show loyalty. Many Vietnamese people suffered bullying, arbitrary beatings, abuse, and killings under the occupiers. Witnessing the reality of a fallen nation deeply moved any Chinese person with a sense of justice.

Upon arriving in Hong Kong, standing on the deck, he lamented: “Such a beautiful place, given away to others.” “The evil warlords and puppet government cannot protect the people domestically nor devise strategies to resist abroad.” Analyzing the internal and external turmoil of the motherland, where lives were devastated, he resolved to change the status quo of silent suffering and hoped for the nation to rise and prosper soon.

Liu Pingkai at the Beijing Academy of Fine Arts in 1922

After a tough journey, he finally arrived in Beijing on July 15, but missed the entrance examination. In October of the same year, Liu Pingkai temporarily attended the “National Beijing Academy of Fine Arts” as a day student while taking English courses at “Li Qun Academy.” In the winter of that year, he went to Shanghai and was admitted to Shanghai University, later transferring to the “National Beijing Esperanto Specialized School.” During this time, Liu Pingkai studied while actively participating in anti-imperialist and patriotic struggles, staying extremely busy. He also experienced a period where he had to suspend his studies due to unpaid tuition. In Beijing, he organized the “Yunnan Reform Society” with fellow Yunnanese students and Communists such as Wang Desan, publishing the weekly magazine “Reform.” Writing under various aliases, Liu Pingkai enthusiastically promoted anti-imperialist, anti-feudal, anti-patriarchal, and pro-democratic revolutionary movements, rallying support for the Chinese revolution. Through extensive social activities and struggles, and under the influence and guidance of early Communists such as Wang Fusheng and Wang Desan, Liu Pingkai’s worldview matured, and his revolutionary resolve grew stronger. In 1923, Liu Pingkai proudly joined the Communist Party of China, fulfilling his long-sought aspiration.

Establishing the First Party Branch in Xinyang

In the spring of 1923, assigned by the Party organization, Liu Pingkai participated in the organization of the earth-shattering and internationally shocking “February 7” general strike of workers on the Beijing-Hankou Railway. Although the strike was brutally suppressed by reactionary warlords, working day and night alongside laborers gave Liu Pingkai a clearer understanding of the brutal nature of imperialism and warlords, making him realize that the Chinese revolution required long-term and unyielding struggle to achieve victory.

In the autumn of 1924, Liu Pingkai was sent by the Northern District Committee of the Communist Party of China to carry out revolutionary activities in Xinyang, Henan, where he stayed until early 1926. During this period, he made outstanding contributions in promoting Marxism-Leninism, organizing and mobilizing the masses to join anti-imperialist and anti-feudal struggles, and establishing and developing party and league organizations.

Liu Pingkai’s public roles in Xinyang were as an executive committee member of the Xinyang Municipal Committee of the Kuomintang and secretary of the Xinyang Railway Workers’ Union. Using these positions, he conducted propaganda and organizational work among railway workers and young students. He actively restored the organizational activities of the Beijing-Hankou Railway Workers’ Union Xinyang Branch, which had over 800 members across ten stations including Xin’an Station. Under Liu Pingkai’s organization, branch meetings, section meetings, and general assemblies were held regularly, greatly boosting the revolutionary enthusiasm of the workers. He frequently visited the Third Normal School in Xinyang to promote Marxist theory, often substituting for teachers to deliver lectures and using the classroom to impart revolutionary ideas. He took every opportunity to discuss historical events such as the Taiping Rebellion and the Boxer Movement in China’s peasant movement history, answering students’ questions and explaining revolutionary principles to them. Many students made rapid progress under his guidance and increasingly expressed a desire to join the revolutionary struggle.

On April 5, 1925, various sectors in Xinyang organized a memorial service for Dr. Sun Yat-sen, a pioneer of China’s democratic revolution. Liu Pingkai, representing the Railway Workers’ Union, delivered a speech and read the union’s declaration: “In a semi-colonial China, we must clearly see that the imperialists’ tool for oppressing us is the system of unequal treaties, which manipulate our politics, sabotage our domestic finance, and plunge our compatriots into misery and death. We have had enough of the so-called ‘blessings’ from the imperialists.” “To break free from our shackles and tear apart the iron net of oppression imposed by imperialists on colonies and semi-colonies, we must, in principle, strive in accordance with the goals of Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s national liberation movement. In political struggle, we must uphold the National Assembly advocated by Dr. Sun Yat-sen until all unequal treaties are abolished, and a true government representing the will of the people is established.”

Through Liu Pingkai’s extensive and in-depth propaganda and mobilization efforts, the class consciousness of workers, intellectuals, and young students significantly improved, giving rise to a group of activists dedicated to the proletarian cause. Coupled with the arrival of Communists Guo Anyu (deputy leader of the Student Soldier Corps) and Chen Mianzhi (instructor of the Student Soldier Corps) working in the corps, the conditions for establishing a party organization in Xinyang were ripe. After deliberation, Liu Pingkai and Wang Kexin decided to form a party branch and submitted a report to the Central Committee in Liu Pingkai’s name on April 25, 1925. The branch was composed of a working committee of three: Liu Pingkai, Wang Kexin, and Guo Anyu. Liu Pingkai was responsible for propaganda and education, Guo Anyu for organization, and Wang Kexin as the executive. Thus, the first party branch in Xinyang was born.

In the summer of 1925, with the approval of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Xinyang Local Executive Committee of the CPC was established, with Liu Pingkai serving as secretary. In May of the same year, the Henan-Shaanxi Regional Executive Committee of the CPC was formed, with Wang Ruofei as secretary and Liu Pingkai as a standing committee member, continuing to oversee the party’s work in the Xinyang region. In September, the Henan Provincial Federation of Trade Unions held its founding conference in Zhengzhou, where Liu Pingkai represented the Xinyang region, was elected as a committee member, and was tasked with overseeing trade union work in the Xinyang area.

While leading the workers’ movement, to promote the vigorous development of the peasants’ movement, Liu Pingkai sent people to study at the Peasant Movement Training Institute in Guangzhou and organized young students to go deep into the rural areas of Xinyang to mobilize peasants and establish peasant associations. Peasant associations sprouted up across Xinyang, with over 50 branches and approximately 50,000 members, making the Xinyang region one of the earliest areas in the country for the peasant movement.

Serving as the First Head of the Organization Department of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China

In February 1926, following the setback of the Northern National Revolutionary Army and the resurgence of the forces of warlord Wu Peifu of the Zhili Clique, the revolutionary situation in Henan rapidly deteriorated, forcing party activities underground. Most members of the Henan-Shaanxi Regional Committee of the CPC evacuated Henan. Liu Pingkai was ordered to leave and was reassigned to Shanghai, where he served successively as secretary of the Shanghai East District, secretary of the Zhabei District Committee, secretary of the Nanjing Municipal Committee, secretary of the Hubei Provincial Committee, and acting secretary of the Manchuria Provincial Committee. By the end of April 1929, Liu Pingkai was transferred away from the Manchuria Provincial Committee and returned to Shanghai. During his tenure as the head of party organizations in various provinces and regions, Liu Pingkai engaged in party organizational development under extremely difficult conditions. Regardless of personal safety or life and death, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to the establishment, restoration, consolidation, and development of party organizations in these areas, making significant contributions.

As early as April 1928, Wang Desan, secretary of the Provisional Committee of the CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee, had requested the Central Committee to send Liu Pingkai back to Yunnan to work and suggested appointing him as secretary. In the autumn of 1929, the Central Committee agreed to send Liu Pingkai back to Yunnan but did not decide on assigning him as the main leader of the Provisional Committee. Facing changes in work and position, Liu Pingkai obediently complied with the organizational arrangement. Before leaving, seeing that his wife could not support the family, he discussed with her sending their second child, who had just been born, to a Catholic church in Shanghai. The child was never heard from again.

In mid-November 1929, Liu Pingkai returned alone to Kunming, which he had not seen for many years, and was assigned to lead the work of various branches within the city. On January 28, 1930, the expanded meeting of the Provisional Committee of the CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee officially elected the Provincial Committee, with Liu Pingkai serving as a standing committee member and head of the Organization Department. The main spirit of this meeting was “to strengthen the Party’s power and prepare for armed insurrection.” According to the Central Committee’s directive, it was decided to improve the work of the central committees in Kunming, Mengzi, and Luxi, among other key counties. A system of inspectors was established to strengthen the Provincial Committee’s guidance over local work. It was decided to intensify the workers’ movement, strengthen leadership over cities, guide all kinds of struggles in rural areas, lead peasants in carrying out land reforms, begin preparations for guerrilla warfare across the province, focus efforts on military mutinies, and move toward armed insurrection under the leadership of the proletariat. While the Provincial Committee Secretary Wang Desan was working in southern Yunnan, the daily operations of the Provincial Committee were handled by Liu Pingkai. He was broad-minded, never concerned with his position or personal gain, and remained utterly devoted to the Party’s cause, working selflessly.

At this time, the Yunnan Provincial Committee Guidance Committee of the Kuomintang was established and passed an anti-Communist proposal titled “Strictly Control Reactionaries.” Anti-revolutionary sentiment soared, and white terror quickly enveloped the entire province. At the end of April 1930, due to betrayal by a traitor, the Provincial Committee’s headquarters were repeatedly attacked, and more than ten comrades were arrested. On May 5, upon learning that the enemy was searching for Communists everywhere, Liu Pingkai immediately thought of the safety of his comrades at the Provincial Committee headquarters and the large amount of confidential documents and printing materials stored there. Disregarding his own safety, he rushed to notify them to evacuate. Unexpectedly, the Party headquarters had already been compromised by the enemy. As soon as he knocked on the door, he was captured by undercover agents. When questioned by the agents, he cleverly replied: “I’m here to collect rent. My name is Zhu Quan, and I’m from the family of Zhu Xiaodong (a division commander under Long Yun).” After his arrest, Liu Pingkai was first detained at the pseudo-Kunming Municipal Government Detention Center. During interrogation, the enemy failed to recognize his true identity, and he insisted he was Zhu Quan. Later, due to a traitor’s tip-off—“Wen Ling” was the code name for Liu Pingkai, the head of the Organization Department of the Provincial Committee, and Zhu Quan was his alias—he was identified. Over a month later, he was transferred as a major Communist suspect to the provincial “Model Prison.”

Using prison as a special battlefield to persist in struggle

Because Liu Pingkai possessed many important Party secrets and information about Party members and cadres, the enemy tried both soft and hard tactics to extract information from him, but Liu Pingkai kept his lips sealed, preferring death over submission, and treated the prison as a new battlefield.

After Liu Pingkai was arrested, the Party organization and his relatives tried to rescue him, but to no avail. Since his cousin Chen Wenyu worked at the headquarters of the Zhu Xiaodong Division under Long Yun’s forces, through some maneuvering, Zhu Xiaodong expressed willingness to intercede on his behalf. However, after a traitor informed on them, the enemy became highly vigilant and placed Liu Pingkai under strict surveillance. After multiple interrogations yielded no results, the enemy said to Liu Pingkai: “The division commander is willing to speak up for you. If you show remorse, disclose the activities of the Communists and your fellow Party members, and write a letter of repentance, we will release you immediately and you can even become an official.” Liu Pingkai angrily replied: “I have no such luck, and besides, who wants a position as a lackey of imperialism that harms the people? I have nothing to repent for.” The enraged enemy barked: “If you remain stubborn to the end, death is inevitable—no one can save you!” Liu Pingkai said firmly: “A true man fears not death—why threaten me with it? Grant me the honor of dying as a martyr, isn’t that good enough?” After more than two months of interrogation, the enemy got nothing and ultimately sentenced Liu Pingkai to life imprisonment on the charge of “communization.”

Liu Pingkai used the prison as a special battlefield and was one of the organizers and leaders of the struggle within. As he wrote in a letter to his fourth younger brother: “Until we see the face of truth, our efforts must never cease!” He comforted and encouraged his fellow inmates to uphold revolutionary integrity and not be intimidated by the enemy’s tyranny. He drafted 30 study outlines for the prison, organized collective learning sessions, personally lectured on Marxist-Leninist theory and practical experience gained through revolutionary struggles, and also organized the study of Esperanto. Sometimes during political discussions, when they heard the sound of enemy footsteps outside the prison door, they would raise their voices and talk about “L. L. Zamenhof being the founder of Esperanto, the 28 letters of the Esperanto alphabet, and word stress falling on the penultimate syllable…” and other aspects of Esperanto knowledge. Upon hearing that they were studying Esperanto, the enemies would simply walk away. In prison, Liu Pingkai never forgot the lofty revolutionary cause and his comrades. He often told his fellow inmates: “As long as Qi Ren (the alias of Provincial Committee Secretary Wang Desan) is safe, I will die without regret!” He wrote to his wife in Shanghai: “I have been sentenced to a heavy punishment, and my life or death is uncertain. I can no longer worry about you and our child. Liu Ying is still so young, and I haven’t fulfilled my responsibilities as a father. It tears my heart apart. As long as you can stay safe, I will be at ease—do not worry too much about me. If I die, do not grieve, nor should you observe mourning for me. To die for the Party’s cause and the liberation of the people is something I am fully willing to do.” He also advised his wife: “Your personality is rather weak, and you are somewhat lacking in the revolutionary cause. I hope you will become stronger in the future and have unwavering faith in communism. Strive for it to the very end!” When speaking to relatives and friends who visited him, he said firmly: “From the time I went to Beijing to study until now, I have struggled for eight full years. I am unwilling to let eight years of effort go to waste in a single day. I had hoped to continue the struggle, but the reactionaries are cruel and brutal, suppressing the revolution. To preserve the purity of the Party and myself, I will never cling to a cowardly life. Looking back on the years I spent following the Communist Party, the path I took was entirely correct.”

On July 3, 1930, the Luxi County Central Committee organized an armed uprising involving more than 500 people. Although the uprising failed, it delivered a powerful blow to the reactionary ruling clique. The panicked Kuomintang reactionaries then secretly ordered the immediate execution of Liu Pingkai and others under the charge of “Red Army representatives colluding with bandits in southern Yunnan to plot wrongdoing.” On the afternoon of July 26, the enemy suddenly called out Liu Pingkai’s name in the prison for interrogation. Realizing that the enemy was about to strike, Liu Pingkai calmly packed his belongings, bid farewell to his fellow inmates, and walked out of the cell with composure. Before his execution, the enemy asked if he had anything to say. He replied with righteous indignation: “Please tell my family that if they send a letter home, they can say I died of illness.” At 2:30 p.m., Liu Pingkai was secretly shot to death in an open area within the prison. Liu Pingkai’s life came to an end at the age of 28. His short yet heroic life made outstanding contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the people.

October 9, 2022, marked the 120th anniversary of the birth of Martyr Liu Pingkai. On this occasion, commemorating him means learning from his unwavering communist faith, his courageous and capable spirit of struggle, his selfless dedication that put the collective above the individual, his broad-mindedness in obeying organizational arrangements regardless of personal gain or loss, his heroic determination to fight until his last breath, and his loyal and death-defying spirit of sacrifice to the Party. On the Long March of the new era, we must continuously carry forward the fine traditions and conduct of the Party, promote the great founding spirit of the Party, inherit the red gene, continue the red bloodline, unite our strength in struggle, and strive together to build a modern socialist country in all respects and comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.