Former Site of the Mashan Military Conference of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army

Former Site of the Mashan Military Conference of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army

The former site of the Mashan Military Conference of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army is a classic red tourism destination and a patriotic education base.

The former site of the Mashan Military Conference of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army is located at Machayan Temple in Mashan Village, Donghui Town, Pingding County. It was the site of the first major military conference held in 1937 when the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army crossed the Yellow River and advanced into the Taihang Mountains. The conference was presided over by Liu Bocheng, who was then the division commander.

The Mashan Military Conference Memorial Hall mainly consists of a military conference room, Liu Bocheng’s rest room, commanders’ rest rooms, a memorial pavilion for anti-Japanese war martyrs, and an exhibition room for historical artifacts. In addition, as a municipal-level key cultural relic protection unit, Machayan Temple houses Yuan Dynasty murals and architecture, possessing significant historical and cultural value.

In recent years, Mashan Village has raised funds through various channels to set up and renovate the Mashan Military Conference Exhibition Room, the three Red Army streets where the 386th Brigade once camped, and a revolutionary song stage.

In 2014, a new Anti-Japanese War Culture Square was built, which includes the “Memorial Wall of the 129th Division’s Mashan Military Conference.” The memorial wall features white marble reliefs measuring 19.7 meters in length—symbolizing the start of the war of resistance in 1937—and standing 3.6 meters high—representing the year when the 386th Brigade camped on the Red Army streets without disturbing local villagers, embodying the mutual respect and unity between soldiers and civilians during the war. On the southern side of the relief are illustrated panels showcasing the “Tales of Mashan” series and the “Eight Scenic Spots of Mashan.” Meanwhile, a martyr’s pavilion was constructed south of the conference site, housing three commemorative steles dedicated to 208 soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the war.

In 2013, the former site of the Mashan Military Conference was designated by the Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department as one of Yangquan City’s “Top Ten Patriotic Education Bases.” In the same year, it was also named a “Party History Education Base.” It receives an average of more than 3,000 visitors per year.

In 2015, the former site of the Mashan Military Conference was re-designated as a municipal-level patriotic education base by the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government.