Former Site of the Longchuan County Peasant Movement Training Institute

Former Site of the Longchuan County Peasant Movement Training Institute

The former site of the Longchuan County Peasant Movement Training Institute is a cultural heritage site protected by Longchuan County.

The former site of the Longchuan County Peasant Movement Training Institute is located at the Zheng and Ye Family Ancestral Halls on Baishou Street in Tuocheng Town, Longchuan County.

Influenced by the Guangzhou Peasant Movement Training Institute, in January 1927, Huang Ziqiang, a graduate of the fifth session of the Guangzhou institute, established the county-level peasant movement training institute at the Zheng Family Ancestral Hall in Longchuan. Luo Junchao, the then Nationalist County Magistrate, served as the head of the institute, while Huang acted as the deputy head, taking charge of daily operations. The Longchuan Peasant Movement Training Institute followed the educational mission and practices of the Guangzhou institute, organizing training sessions for the peasant movement and enrolling over 100 students. Half of the students were selected from various districts and townships in Longchuan, while the other half came from Xingning, Heyuan, and Heping counties. The institute was housed in the Zheng and Ye Family Ancestral Halls in the county seat. All students paid their own expenses, lodged and ate at local inns, and attended three classes and two drills daily at the institute. There was also a reading room where students could access progressive publications. The original plan was for the students to complete the four-month program, but due to Chiang Kai-shek’s coup, they graduated ahead of schedule and returned to their respective regions to carry on the peasant movement. Both ancestral halls were built during the Qing Dynasty and feature a traditional quadrangle courtyard layout with four courtyards. The Zheng Family Ancestral Hall covers nearly 600 square meters, has a flush-gable roof, and features finely carved beams and eaves. The surrounding area still has passageways and corridors, though most of the site is now used by the Tuocheng Health Clinic and has been modified, although some sections retain their original appearance.

In September 1986, it was designated as a key cultural heritage site by the Longchuan County Government.

Tuocheng Town: Located at the southernmost tip of Longchuan County, Tuocheng Town boasts a history of 2,221 years and is one of the first batch of historical and cultural towns in Guangdong Province. It has long been a hub of political, economic, and cultural activity in Longchuan County. The town covers a total area of 218 square kilometers, governs 17 administrative villages and one neighborhood committee, and has a population of 43,218. In 2006, the town achieved a gross domestic product of 260 million yuan. The town has a long history and numerous historic sites. Its agriculture mainly focuses on developing three pillar industries: aquaculture, fruit, and vegetables. The area is rich in natural resources and is also home to several cultural heritage sites under county protection... More details about Tuocheng Town++