Battle Site of the Machete Squad in Hezikeng

Battle Site of the Machete Squad in Hezikeng

The battle site of the Machete Squad in Hezikeng is a classic red tourism destination.

The battle site of Hezikeng is located in Hezikeng, Hudong Village, Dahhu Town, Lianping County (near the highway exit of Dahhu Town).

On December 26, 1947, the CCP Jiulian Work Committee, acting on directives from above, made the decision to launch a “major struggle,” calling on the people throughout the Jiulian region to mobilize, organize, take up weapons, and engage in determined resistance against the reactionary Kuomintang, putting forward the battle slogan "Hold a gun in one hand, distribute land with the other." Later, armed work teams were jointly established in Dahhu and Sanjiao, with Zeng Wenru serving as team leader. Peasant associations in the Dahhu and Sanjiao regions also organized militia forces numbering over 1,000 members. In January 1948, Deng Ji, Zeng Wenru, and others personally visited Xiadiwu to guide Zeng Haidi, Zeng Wanggui, and others in organizing the Machete Squad. Within just a few days, nearly 200 people had joined the machete training. Farmers in other areas also spontaneously formed broadsword squads, such as those in Caiwu of Shantang Village nearby, and Mawu of Youxi Town. They worked during the day and trained at night at ancestral halls in their homes, setting up an altar to the “Immortal Lord,” burning incense and candles, chanting, and then practicing with broadswords as if doing qigong.

On March 11, 1948, in an attempt to use Dahhu as a bridgehead for their attack on Qingzhou, the enemy deployed over 200 troops from Guan Zhaosha’s Battalion Five of the Kuomintang Peace Preservation Corps and the Heping County Police Force, advancing toward Dahhu from Heping City. At 8:00 a.m. that day, the enemy was spotted by our forward sentries at Zaoshikeng and was met with strong resistance from soldiers and civilians along the highway. Around 8:30 a.m., the enemy engaged in fierce fighting with our troops and civilians at Taling. After occupying Taling, they advanced toward Datian but were repelled by our forces and militia, forcing them to retreat toward Hezikeng. The machete squad lying in ambush in Hezikeng encountered the enemy. Buglers Zeng Yunu and Zeng Foen blew the charge, and the machete squad members fearlessly charged through the gunfire toward the enemy. The enemy, in disarray, fled in the direction of Shanggaowu. During the fierce battle, the enemy suffered more than ten casualties. Our side, fighting broadswords against guns, also sustained losses, with eight militiamen and machete squad members, including Zeng Shilin and Cai Niangui, heroically sacrificing their lives; Zeng Wanggui, Zeng Niangming, and several others were wounded. The fearless fighting spirit of the machete squad members had a tremendous deterrent effect on the enemy, leaving them terrified and fearful of encountering more undaunted machete squads.

Hudong Village: Surrounded by green mountains and crisscrossed by clear waters, Hudong Village is a traditional settlement that integrates historical culture, Hakka culture, and red culture.

Dahhu was a “red revolutionary holy land” during the War of Resistance Against Japan. The site of the first Party branch of the CCP Lianping County is located within Hudong Primary School in Hudong Village. Huhuizhai in Hudong Village is the oldest, largest, and most well-preserved Hakka enclosed village complex in Lianping County, with a history of 880 years. The village houses ancestral halls, study rooms, pawnshops, residences, and more. From architectural style to local customs, it fully showcases the cultural heritage of the Hakka people in Dahhu. … More details about Hudong Village++