Site of the Meitang Battle

Site of the Meitang Battle

The Site of the Meitang Battle is located to the south of Longjiantian Village in Huangjiang Town, with GPS coordinates: 22°49'46.2"N, 113°58'45.8"E, at an elevation of 149 meters.

On May 7, 1944, over 500 soldiers from the Kato Unit of the Japanese army stationed in Zhangmutou launched a surprise attack on the leadership headquarters and the Third Battalion of the Dongjiang Column stationed in Longjiantian Village, Meitang Township. At that time, the Third and Fifth Battalions of the Dongjiang Column, along with the Dongguan Battalion, were assembled in the Meitang area for training. Leaders of the Column, including Wang Zuoyao, Liang Hongjun, and Yang Kanghua, had set up the leadership headquarters in Longjiantian Village, Meitang Township, to oversee the troops’ training. At dawn on May 8, the vanguard of the Japanese army reached the left side of Longjiantian Village, attempting to occupy the nearby high ground, Ma Shan, and launch a surprise attack on the Third Battalion stationed in the village. Wang Zuoyao and the commander of the Third Battalion, Wu Qiang, spotted the enemy and immediately ordered the Independent Squadron of the Third Battalion, which was conducting morning exercises, to seize Ma Shan from the west to cover the relocation of the leadership headquarters. The first squad of the Independent Squadron seized the dominant peak of Ma Shan, while the second squad took the main peak at the rear of Ma Shan. Wu Qiang also climbed to the rear of Ma Shan to command the battle. The Fifth Battalion, stationed in Changshankou Village, upon hearing gunfire from the direction of Longjiantian Village, immediately directed the First Squadron to occupy Xiang Shan to the northeast of Longjiantian Village, the Second Squadron to monitor the east-west line, and the Third Squadron to take Zhu Gan Shan to the east of Longjiantian Village. Meanwhile, local party organizations in the Meitang area mobilized militias to support the troops in combat.

Ma Shan was the key high ground controlling Longjiantian Village, and the fate of the Ma Shan position was crucial to the outcome of the entire battle. Around 7:00 a.m. that day, under artillery cover, the Japanese launched attacks on Ma Shan from three directions: southeast, northeast, and due north. The first squad of the Independent Squadron held its ground firmly and, as the enemy approached, concentrated fire and repelled them. By 11:00 a.m., the first squad had successfully beaten back four consecutive charges by the Japanese, killing or wounding dozens of enemy soldiers and ensuring the safe relocation of the Column’s leadership headquarters. The Fifth Battalion continuously threatened the Japanese left flank with firepower, supporting the battle at Ma Shan. Around 1:00 p.m., the Japanese attempted to retreat. Commanders of the Dongjiang Column deployed troops to pursue them. The Dongguan Battalion led the frontal assault, advancing straight from Tianxin through Longjiantian North Opposite Mountain and Pingdian Mountain to intercept the Japanese. The Fifth Battalion maneuvered through Zhu Gan Shan and Xiang Shan to form a semi-circular encirclement, trapping the enemy on the northern side of Ma Shan. The Japanese made multiple charges in an attempt to seize the high ground but were pinned down under the suppressive fire of the Dongjiang Column. Around 3:00 p.m., the Japanese twice launched smoke grenades in an attempt to cover their retreat, but both attempts failed. The battle continued into dusk, and eventually, the Japanese retreated along mountain paths guided by local collaborators. In the Battle of Meitang, nearly 100 Japanese soldiers were killed or wounded. After retreating to Zhangmutou, their morale was extremely low, and more than 10 officers, including Battalion Commander Kato, committed seppuku. The Dongjiang Column also suffered significant casualties: over 30 soldiers from the Independent Squadron of the Third Battalion were killed or wounded, Political Commissar Li Zhong (aka Zhong Ruochao) of the Independent Squadron died a heroic death, Squadron Commander Li Hanwei was injured, and most of the soldiers in the first squad were killed.

The Battle of Meitang was a hard-fought victory in which the leadership of the Dongjiang Column made decisive commands, soldiers fought bravely and relentlessly, and militias and civilians provided strong support—turning a dangerous situation of near-successful Japanese surprise attack into an active counteroffensive. It stands as a significant battle where the Dongjiang Column inflicted heavy losses on the Japanese forces.

Huangjiang Town: Located in the heart of the Guangdong–Hong Kong economic corridor, Huangjiang Town boasts well-developed transportation. It lies 80 km west of Guangzhou, 60 km south of Hong Kong, and 6 km north of Dongguan Station on the Beijing–Kowloon Railway. It is only 48 km (a 40-minute drive) from Shenzhen International Airport and Fuyong Passenger Terminal, with multiple direct buses to Hong Kong available daily. The town covers a total area of approximately 98 square kilometers, encompassing 11 villages and 3 communities. It has a local population of 22,000 and a migrant population of over 200,000. Legend has it that during the Taiping Rebellion, several families settled by the river… More detailed information about Huangjiang Town++