Site of Zhou Enlai’s East Expedition Speech Platform

Site of Zhou Enlai’s East Expedition Speech Platform

The Site of Zhou Enlai’s East Expedition Speech Platform is located in Zhongshan Park, Shilong, Dongguan. A bronze statue of Zhou Enlai stands on the platform, with a stretch of clear water behind it and dozens of stone benches arranged in front. This was where Zhou Enlai delivered his second speech to the people of Shilong in October 1925. The original platform was a temporary structure made of bamboo and wood. Due to multiple demolitions and reconstructions, it was later used for meetings and theatrical performances. It was not until after the founding of the People’s Republic that it was rebuilt with bricks and stones as an entertainment stage.

In February and October 1925, the Guangdong Revolutionary Government launched the First and Second Eastern Expeditions respectively, both establishing their headquarters in Shilong to command the left, center, and right columns of the army in encircling the rebel forces of Chen Jiongming, which were primarily based in Huizhou. Zhou Enlai, Director of the Political Department of the East Expedition Army, led the political department to set up in Shilong.

Shilong was economically prosperous and one of the Four Famous Towns of Guangdong, always coveted by various warlords. Warlords who came to Shilong would cause disturbances, forcing shops to close repeatedly for short periods of around ten days or as long as over a month, relocating elsewhere. In February 1925, when Zhou Enlai first arrived in Shilong, he delivered a speech at a welcome event hosted by the Shilong Business Association, vowing to resolutely eliminate the bad habits of the old army, but public skepticism remained. On October 6, Zhou Enlai returned to Shilong with the East Expedition Army’s political department. On the 8th, he attended a joint celebration held in Zhongshan Park between representatives from all sectors of Shilong society and the National Revolutionary Army. At the event, Zhou Enlai gave an extensive speech on behalf of the East Expedition Army. He said: “We have come on this East Expedition for the happiness of the people. When the people and the revolutionary army unite, we are like brothers helping each other to fight the enemy.” Zhou’s speech won warm applause from the attendees. Representatives from Shilong’s labor unions, peasant associations, chambers of commerce, as well as the Hong Kong workers’ committee, also spoke, expressing firm support for the East Expedition Army.

During the celebration, the East Expedition Army’s political department distributed a leaflet titled “A Message to the People of All Circles in Shilong,” calling on the people to stand as a strong backing for the National Revolutionary Army and jointly overthrow the warlords harming the people of Guangdong, striving for permanent peace in the province and fulfilling the mission of the national revolution. These political campaigns ignited the revolutionary fervor among the people of Shilong. Workers in the bamboo ware industry acted immediately, collecting and crafting 300 bamboo ladders within two or three days and presenting them to the East Expedition Army. On the 12th, the main force of the Central Route of the East Expedition Army set out to attack Huizhou. The city was soon captured, and the rebel forces of Chen Jiongming were eliminated.

The people of Shilong hold Zhou Enlai dear and remember him fondly. In October 1998, on the centenary of Zhou Enlai’s birth, to commemorate his presence during the East Expedition in Shilong, the people of Shilong expanded the platform, planted trees, and erected a bronze statue on the very spot where Zhou had delivered his speech in Zhongshan Park. The statue depicts Zhou Enlai in military uniform from the East Expedition period, captured in one of his commonly used gestures while speaking, rendered with lifelike detail. Over two meters tall, the statue is accompanied by a plaque behind it commemorating his great achievements. Visitors can admire his noble image while also learning about Zhou’s spirit in striving for the rise of the Chinese nation. The site sees a continuous stream of visitors for tours and oaths, with even newlyweds coming here to take commemorative photos.

The Zhou Enlai East Expedition Speech Platform in Zhongshan Park, Shilong, has been designated as a Shilong Patriotic Education Base by the People’s Government of Shilong Town.

(Shilong Town Chronicles Office)

Shilong Town: A feng shui treasure where the ancient and beautiful north and south branches of the Dong River converge, forming a locale of three docks along one river—Shilong.

Bordered by Guangzhou to the north and Shenzhen to the south, adjacent to Hong Kong, Shilong lies 69 kilometers from Guangzhou and 78 kilometers from Shenzhen. It has long been an important port along the Dong River waterway.

With a history of 800 years, Shilong has been inhabited since the Song Dynasty. Thanks to the Dong River flowing through the region, offering highly convenient shipping, Shilong became a key town in Lingnan by the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. In an era dominated by water transportation, Shilong had already developed into a hub and strategic chokepoint of the Dong River transport system... More detailed information about Shilong Town++