Historical Sites of Shilong Park

Historical Sites of Shilong Park

The Historical Sites of Shilong Park are designated as a Cultural Heritage Conservation Unit of Guangdong Province.

The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Shilong is located within Zhongshan Park in Shilong Town. GPS coordinates: 23°06'46.3"N, 113°51'07.4"E, at an elevation of 5 meters.

The memorial hall faces south and is a two-story structure built with brick, wood, and stone, later modified with a steel truss frame. It measures 42.2 meters in length and 26 meters in width, with a total floor area of 1,200 square meters. The memorial hall was built to commemorate Dr. Sun Yat-sen. It was funded by local residents of Shilong and constructed in 1934, and completed in 1937.

In February 1925, to combat the warlord Chen Jiongming who occupied the Dongjiang region, the Guangdong Revolutionary Government organized the First Eastern Expedition. Due to Shilong’s developed land and water transport, thriving commerce, and proximity to Guangzhou, Dr. Sun Yat-sen led the Eastern Expeditionary Army to station in Shilong and set up his headquarters there, often coming to direct military operations. During the First Eastern Expedition, the expeditionary forces defeated Chen Jiongming’s army, but at that time a rebellion broke out in Guangzhou led by warlords such as Yang Ximin. The expeditionary army had to return to Guangzhou, bringing the First Eastern Expedition to an end. During this period, Dr. Sun Yat-sen passed away due to illness in March 1925. Dr. Sun Yat-sen forged deep revolutionary bonds with the people of Shilong. After his passing, to honor his revolutionary achievements, the people of Shilong renamed Shilong Park as Zhongshan Park. In 1929, nine small streets were widened and renamed Zhongshan Road. In 1934, when five new roads were built in Shilong with some leftover funds, it was decided to construct the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. Fundraising and construction proceeded simultaneously, managed by Luo Pingji of Shilong. The memorial hall was completed in 1937, consisting of two stories with a capacity of 1,300 people and featuring a large stage, making it one of the most sizable memorial halls dedicated to Sun Yat-sen at the county or township level across the nation at the time. After the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan, the memorial hall was repurposed as the auditorium for Shilong Middle School. After the liberation of Shilong in 1950, it was renovated and once converted into the Shilong Cinema.

In April 2008, Zhongshan Park, where the site of the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is located, was named a Dongguan Patriotic Education Base by the Dongguan Spiritual Civilization Construction Committee. In October 2012, the historical sites of Shilong Zhongshan Park, including the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, were designated as part of the Seventh Batch of Cultural Heritage Conservation Units of Guangdong Province by the People's Government of Guangdong Province.

Shilong Town: A feng shui treasure formed where the northern and southern branches of the age-old, beautiful Dongjiang River converge—the northward and southward flows meet to create a place of three docks—Shilong.

Shilong is bordered by Guangzhou to the north, Shenzhen to the south, and adjacent to Hong Kong, lying 69 kilometers from Guangzhou and 78 kilometers from Shenzhen. It has long been an important port along the Dongjiang waterway.

Shilong has a long history of 800 years, with settlers present since the Song Dynasty. Thanks to the Dongjiang River running through the area, water transport has always been highly convenient. By the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Shilong had already become a key town in Lingnan. In an era dominated by waterways, Shilong had become a hub and vital throat of transportation along the Dongjiang… More detailed information about Shilong Town ++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Cultural Heritage Conservation Units of Guangdong Province