Former Site of the Headquarters of the 7th Column of the Northwest Field Army

Former Site of the Headquarters of the 7th Column of the Northwest Field Army

The former site of the headquarters of the 7th Column of the Northwest Field Army is a classic red tourism destination.

The former site of the headquarters of the 7th Column of the Northwest Field Army is located to the west of Juanzi Village, Haozhuang Town, Yingze District, covering an area of 657.20 square meters. In October 1948, after the Battle of Xiaodian, the 7th Column of the Northwest Field Army advanced to the eastern mountainous area of Taiyuan and the region north of Taiyuan, with its headquarters stationed in Juanzi Village. Under the unified command of the 7th Column, victories were successively achieved in the Battles of Fengge Liang and Niutuo Zhai, liberating areas such as Huangzhai, Nitun, and Lancun. When the campaign transitioned into a phase of siege and rest, the political department of the 7th Column headquarters carried out work to win over and disintegrate Yan Xishan’s forces. Commander Peng Shaohui directly led efforts here to persuade the 71st Division of the 33rd Army of Yan to defect. In February 1949, the 7th Column was renamed the 7th Army of the 1st Field Army. In April, it participated in the peripheral operations around Taiyuan and the final assault on the city walls, eliminating over 10,000 Nationalist troops and making a significant contribution to the liberation of Taiyuan. After the liberation of Taiyuan, the 7th Column moved to Jinyuan County and then advanced into the northwest. The site faces south and features a traditional quadrangle courtyard layout. Along the central axis are the main gate, southern rooms, and the main cave-dwelling building; wing rooms are located on the east and west sides. The main structure consists of three cave dwellings built atop a naturally formed earthen mound. On the western wall of the caves, there is a defensive entrance that leads up to the hilltop via earthen steps. There are two additional western caves constructed with brick, featuring arched doors and windows. The eastern and southern rooms are single-story structures with flat roofs, built from a combination of brick and wood, each having three rooms.