Site of the Second Branch of Jiangnan Youth Academy

Site of the Second Branch of Jiangnan Youth Academy

The Site of the Second Branch of Jiangnan Youth Academy is located at No. 10, Lane 6, Dahuang Road, Dahuancun Village, Dalingshan Town. GPS coordinates: 22°55'01" N, 113°47'12" E, elevation 54 meters.

In June 1949, as the national Liberation War was going well and the People’s Liberation Army had crossed the Yangtze River, pushing towards South China, the liberation of Guangdong was imminent. To prepare for the liberation of Dongguan, a task force (urban takeover team) needed to be trained. In July 1949, the Dongguan-Bao’an County Committee of the Chinese Communist Party established the Second Branch of Jiangnan Youth Academy in the liberated area of Dalingshan. Huang Yongguang served as principal, with Zhang Bin (Chen Hua) and Wang Guang (Fang Dong) as vice principals. Classes began in August of the same year with 58 students, most from the Humen-Dongcheng area, and some from Guangzhou and Hong Kong. The school was housed in the home of villager Wu Tong, a three-room Hakka-style residence with two side wings. Classes were also occasionally held in the Wu Family Ancestral Hall in the village.

Teaching methods included large group lectures, individual study of materials, group discussions, wall newspaper production, and sharing of learning insights. Course content covered: reports by Huang Yongguang on “The Current Situation and Our Tasks” and “The Three-Year Civil War Situation in the Dongguan Area”; speeches by Qi Feng on “The Transformation of Intellectuals” and “Several Issues Regarding the Takeover of County Towns,” along with distributed study materials such as the “Eight Rules of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army,” “The Chinese Revolution and the Chinese Communist Party,” “On New Democracy,” and the “Urban Entry Handbook” compiled by the Political Department of the Third Regiment of the First Detachment of the Guangdong-Guangxi-Hunan Column of the People’s Liberation Army.

By the end of September 1949, as the PLA advanced into Guangdong and the liberation of Dongguan was imminent, the Second Branch of Jiangnan Youth Academy concluded its program early on September 25. At the closing ceremony, Qi Feng gave a report on “Policies for Urban Takeover,” Zhang Ru spoke on “Urban Entry Guidelines and Departmental Responsibilities,” and printed graduation certificates were awarded to the students. On October 17, 1949, when Dongcheng was liberated, the students were assigned to various departments and fronts.

In 1999, the original site of the Second Branch of Jiangnan Youth Academy was demolished and replaced with two two-and-a-half-story buildings.

Dahuancun Village: Located in the northwest of Dalingshan Town, bordering Houjie Town, Dahuancun is about 5 kilometers from the town center, covering a total area of approximately 4 square kilometers. The village has a total population of around 1,500, including 579 registered residents and over 1,000 migrants. There are currently 12 enterprises in the area.

The village Party branch plays a leading core role, focusing on advancing the “Three Civilizations” construction and prioritizing the growth of the collective economy and improving public welfare. The branch continuously strengthens its own development, maintains regular organizational life meetings, actively cultivates high-quality reserve cadres and prospective Party members, and improves... Dahuancun Village detailed information++