Former Site of the Central Rear Committee in Lin County

Former Site of the Central Rear Committee in Lin County

The former site of the Central Rear Committee in Lin County is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a classic red tourism destination.

The former site of the Central Rear Committee of the Chinese Communist Party is located in Shuangta Village, 25 kilometers south of Lin County, bordered by the Lüliang Mountains to the east and the Qiu River flowing around the village. The area enjoys convenient transportation, linking the Shanxi-Suiyuan and Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Regions to the east and facing the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region across the Yellow River to the west, making it an ideal military encampment and transit hub. From April 1947 to March 1948, the Central Rear Committee of the Chinese Communist Party was stationed here. The site was designated as a Provincial Patriotic Education Base in 2009.

Background Information

In February 1947, after the failure of Chiang Kai-shek’s plan for a full-scale offensive on the liberated areas, he was forced to shift militarily to a focused offensive, targeting the Shandong and Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Liberated Areas in an attempt to annihilate the Northwest People’s Liberation Army and the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, or force them to cross the Yellow River eastward. By the end of February, Chiang personally traveled to Xi’an to oversee the attack on Yan’an. At the time, Yan’an was engulfed in the smoke of war. The Nationalist forces, numbering over 240,000 troops equipped with American gear, had the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region surrounded on three sides, while nearly 100 aircraft carried out relentless bombings. In contrast, the defending forces in northern Shaanxi totaled just over 20,000, with local troops and guerrillas bringing the total to around 50,000—a significant disparity in strength. To lure the enemy deeper and destroy their forces in motion, the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee held a meeting in Zhaolin Village, Qingjian County, northern Shaanxi, at the end of March 1947. It was decided to evacuate Yan’an and continue the fight across northern Shaanxi. The Central Committee and the Military Commission were divided into three parts: Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Ren Bishi, and Lu Dingyi, leading the streamlined core of the Party Central Committee (known as the Front Committee), would remain in northern Shaanxi to command operations there and nationally, pinning down the enemy. Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Dong Biwu, and some Central Committee members formed the Central Work Committee (known as the Work Committee), relocating to Xibaipo Village in Pingshan County, Hebei Province, to handle routine Central work, primarily focusing on party affairs, land reform, and guiding operations in North China. Ye Jianying, Yang Shangkun, Li Weihan, Li Kenong, and others formed the Central Rear Committee (known as the Rear Committee) to manage the rear operations of the Central Committee.

In late March 1947, the Central Rear Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, chaired by Ye Jianying, relocated from northern Shaanxi to Lin County. The central leadership of the Rear Committee was stationed in Shuangta Village, while other personnel were distributed across over 40 villages along the Shuangta area and the Qiu River. The Central Rear Committee was a massive organization, comprising the General Staff of the Military Commission, parts of its First, Second, and Third Bureaus, the General Logistics Department of the Military Commission, the Central Office, the Urban Work Department, the Protocol Office, the Foreign Affairs Group, the Legislative Committee, the Women’s Committee, the Work Committee, and families of some members. Additionally, cadres withdrawn from Nationalist-controlled areas gradually arrived here. At its peak, the Central Rear Committee managed over 5,000 personnel. Its main tasks included liaising with various war zones, gathering combat intelligence and operational experience, processing and reporting this information to the Central Committee and Chairman Mao, who would then analyze the data to issue directives and commands transmitted nationwide via the Rear Committee. It also relayed encrypted communications to the Front Committee and Work Committee, arranged for the procurement and transport of military supplies to the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Liberated Area, handled external propaganda and the compilation of foreign affairs materials, studied underground party operations and united front work, and trained cadres for operations in Nationalist-controlled areas.

On March 23, 1948, Chairman Mao and other Central leaders departed northern Shaanxi, crossed the Yellow River eastward, and entered Shanxi. On the 24th, they arrived at Shuangta Village in Sanjiao Town, Lin County.

On the afternoon of March 25, a mobilization meeting attended by all members of the Front and Rear Committees was held. Amidst warm applause, Chairman Mao said passionately, “We are all comrades who fought across northern Shaanxi together. For over a year, we shared hardships and you helped us accomplish so much—we must thank you. Do you remember that over ten-day forced march, covering hundreds or even thousands of li? After the Battle of Shajiadian, we crossed the mountain ridges, overcame the toughest times, and seized the initiative in the northern Shaanxi campaign. Now we’re heading to Hebei—there will be more mountains to climb, including the highest ranges, and enemies along the way. Though our troops provide cover and we hold the initiative, the enemy won’t dare act rashly, we must still stay vigilant and not grow careless. Once we reach the Pingshan area in Hebei, conditions will be better, which is more conducive to directing the national effort. That’s why I say the march is tough, but the future is bright. Once we cross the Taihang Mountains—the highest ridge—we’ll have overcome the hardest phase, and things will only get better. Victory across the nation will come soon. Comrades, let’s give it our all!”

Subsequently, Chairman Mao and his entourage passed through the base of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Military Region in Caijiaya, crossed the Wutai and Taihang Mountains, and arrived at Chengnanzhuang in Fuping County, Hebei Province, reaching Xibaipo on May 26.

In late April, the entire Central Rear Committee, its troops, and accompanying personnel moved to Xibaipo to join the Work Committee.

On October 7, 2019, the former site of the Central Rear Committee of the Chinese Communist Party in Lin County was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Sanjiao Town: A town under the jurisdiction of Lin County. Established as the Sanjiao Commune in 1958 and upgraded to a town in 1984. Located in the southern part of the county, 21 kilometers from the county seat, it covers an area of 74.7 square kilometers with a population of 37,000. The town is accessible by road. It administers the Sanjiao Neighborhood Committee and the villages of Anjiagetai, Cuiping, Cuiling, Dongcaojiamao, Changwangshan, Dongwangjiagou, Ziquangou, Huangbeiju, Fanjialing, Genunv, Dongdujia'awa, Hugong, Houduquan, Xialiushan, Liuwanggou, Lijia'awa, Duoshi, Qiandouquan, Daqingjia, Quanwang, Shangmajiashan, Nanshuangta, Shuipingshan, Qianwujia, Wujiapo, Xiwangjiagou, ... (Detailed information on Sanjiao Town++)

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units