Ailan Ancestral Hall — Site of the Xiegang Peasant Association Massacre

Ailan Ancestral Hall — Site of the Xiegang Peasant Association Massacre

Ailan Ancestral Hall — Site of the Xiegang Peasant Association Massacre is located opposite No. 18, Lane 3, Panfu North Street, Xiagang Community, Chang’an Town. GPS coordinates: 22°47'54.4"N, 113°44'11.0"E, elevation 5 meters.

On April 22, 1925, the Xiegang Peasant Association was established. That night, the local landlord tyrant Mai Tingjie and his son Mai Ping colluded with the Guangxi warlord Liu Zhenhuan’s forces stationed in Humen, commanding the militia under their control to brazenly surround Xiegang, storm the Peasant Association headquarters at Ailan Ancestral Hall, and murder three Peasant Association cadres: Mai Fushao, Mai Xinan, and Mai Yaotang. Cai Ruping, Executive Committee Director of the Dongguan County Peasant Association, immediately dispatched peasant self-defense troops, who, together with students of the Whampoa Military Academy stationed at Datang in Dalingshan, swiftly moved to the rescue, driving the Guangxi troops and the militia out of Xiegang. To counter the militia of the Taiping Lianxi Bureau, the Dongguan Peasant Association formed the Humen Peasant Self-Defense Regiment, primarily composed of over 100 members of the Beizha Peasant Self-Defense Army, with Chen Gui, Executive Committee Director of the Beizha Peasant Association, as the leader, thus establishing a standoff with the militia. In the winter of 1925, the Xiegang Peasant Association resumed activities, with Mai Dingtang serving as Executive Committee Director and Mai Detang as Deputy Director.

On July 17, 1926, Mai Tingjie and his son gathered over a hundred militiamen and bandits to besiege Xiegang. On the 18th, Chen Gui led the peasant self-defense troops to the rescue, repelling the militia and bandits. On the morning of the 20th, Mai Tingjie once again led the militia and bandits in an attack on Xiegang, setting fires and looting, but was met with counterattacks from the peasant self-defense troops. On the 28th, Mai Tingjie for the third time mustered hundreds of militiamen and bandits, bringing cannons to capture Xiegang. More than ten peasants were killed or injured, dozens of houses were burned down, and nearly a thousand peasants were left homeless. This incident is referred to in the history of Guangdong’s peasant movement as the “Xiegang Massacre.”

Ailan Ancestral Hall, having deteriorated over the years and become a dangerous structure, was demolished in 2007.

Xiagang Community: Covering a total area of 9.3 square kilometers, Xiagang Community comprises 4 resident groups, with a registered local population of 3,199 and a migrant population of 46,000.

Economic Development: Through actively attracting foreign investment and vigorously developing an export-oriented economy, Xiagang Community has continuously strengthened its collective economic power. By the end of 2010, the community had 124 foreign-funded enterprises and 119 private enterprises; the total collective income at both community levels reached 133 million yuan, with total collective assets amounting to 572 million yuan.

Urban Construction: In recent years, the community has... Detailed Information about Xiagang Community++