The Eighteen Martyrs Monument in Chukeng Village

The Eighteen Martyrs Monument in Chukeng Village

The Eighteen Martyrs Monument in Chukeng Village (also known as the Eighteen Martyrs Monument in Zhengkeng) is located on Duling in Chukeng Village, Dongkeng Town. GPS coordinates: 22°59'07.0"N, 113°55'31.3"E, elevation 9 meters.

In early April 1946, over 30 officers and soldiers from the First Company of the Second Battalion of the First Detachment of the East River Column gathered in the lychee orchard behind Lepingwei (commonly known as Lepengwei) Village in Fulushan, Liaobu, Dongguan, where they were discovered by local armed forces. On April 16, they were suddenly attacked by the Nationalist army and local militia. The company quickly broke through toward the direction of Dalingshan and regrouped in Zhengkeng Village, Dongkeng for rest. At around 3 a.m. on the 20th, the company was surrounded by a force of over 200 men consisting of a company from the Third Battalion of the 108th Regiment of the 36th Division of the Nationalist 54th Army stationed in Liaobu and the Liaobu Militia. The guerrillas swiftly broke through the encirclement and engaged in fierce battle with the enemy. The fighting continued until 11 a.m., and due to being outnumbered, 18 guerrillas sacrificed their lives heroically during the breakout. After the battle, the bodies of these 18 martyrs were collected by the villagers of Zhengkeng Village and buried together at the top of Duling.

In 1956, the Dongkeng Town People's Government funded the construction of the monument. It was first renovated in 1965, which expanded its area. A second renovation took place in January 1999. The third renovation occurred in February 2005, during which the road in front of the monument was opened and widened. The current monument faces south and covers an area of about 600 square meters. The main body of the monument is 4 meters tall and 0.45 meters wide, built with concrete and stone. The central part of the monument is inscribed with eight white characters on a red background: “革命烈士永垂不朽” (“Eternal Glory to Revolutionary Martyrs”). Behind the monument, 18 pillars are arranged semi-circularly, symbolizing the 18 martyrs who forever guard the land where they once fought.

In April 2008, it was designated as a Dongguan Patriotic Education Base by the Dongguan Municipal Committee for Spiritual Civilization Construction.

Chukeng Village: Chukeng Village consists of five natural villages—Chukeng, Longkeng, Zhengkeng, Xiaotang, and Yangmeiling—and is predominantly surnamed Ding. Chukeng, also known as Dingwu Xinyi, was established in the late Qing Dynasty as the first village built in the vicinity at that time, hence its name. The residents of Longkeng migrated from Caotang Dingwu during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty. The village is named after the Dragon Pond Weir (Longtan Bei) and Dragon Back Ridge (Longbeiji) located at the front and back of the village, with paddy fields in front, hence the name. Zhengkeng was established in the early Qing Dynasty and is named for the deep pond located at the front of the village. Xiaotang was settled during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty by villagers from Dingwu, and it is named after a spring-fed pond in the area. Yangmeiling was established in the early Qing Dynasty, with its founding ancestors migrating from Makeng. The village... More details about Chukeng Village++