Site of the Former Anti-Japanese Base in Dalingshan

Site of the Former Anti-Japanese Base in Dalingshan

The Site of the Former Anti-Japanese Base in Dalingshan is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, a classic red tourism destination, and a patriotic education base.

The Site of the Former Anti-Japanese Base in Dalingshan is a group of buildings in Dalingshan Town, Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, which once served as the headquarters of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces. It is classified as an important modern historical site and representative building. The site includes nine cultural heritage locations. Among them, six anti-Japanese sites—the headquarters of the Third Battalion, the meeting room, the Dajia Tuanjie newspaper office, the communication station, the grain processing workshop, and the drill ground—are located in Dawangling Village, while the other three—the clinic, Zhongshan Academy, and the Lianping Lianxiang Office—are located in Wengyao Village, Youguling Village, and Lianpingjiling Village respectively. In the autumn of 1940, following instructions from the Communist Party’s Dongjiang Special Committee in the frontline, the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces advanced into the Dalingshan area of Dongguan and established the Dalingshan Anti-Japanese Base. This site served as the headquarters where key leaders of the Dongjiang Column directed anti-Japanese guerrilla warfare in the Dongbao region, holding significant historical importance in the resistance efforts across southern China. The site was designated as a Dongguan Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit in May 1978, listed as part of the fourth batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units by the Guangdong Provincial People’s Government in July 2002, and included in the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council in May 2006.

The site complex includes nine cultural heritage locations.

Among them, six anti-Japanese sites—the headquarters of the Third Battalion, the meeting room, the Dajia Tuanjie newspaper office, the communication station, the grain processing workshop, and the drill ground—are located in Dawangling Village, while the other three—the clinic, Zhongshan Academy, and the Lianping Lianxiang Office—are located in Wengyao Village, Youguling Village, and Lianpingjiling Village respectively. (1) The former headquarters of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces is located in Dawangling Village. It is a mud-brick civilian house, measuring 11 meters in length and 7 meters in width, with an area of 77 square meters. In September 1940, the Communist Party’s Dongjiang Special Committee in the frontline held a meeting with military cadres and decided to reorganize the anti-Japanese armed forces in the Dongjiang region into the Third and Fifth Battalions of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces. These battalions were tasked with conducting guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines in the Huizhou (Dongguan)-Guangzhou (Bao’an) area, establishing anti-Japanese bases, with the leadership center based in Dongguan. In October of the same year, the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces was ordered to advance from Buji in Bao’an into the Dalingshan area to establish the Dalingshan Anti-Japanese Base, setting up its headquarters here. This location also served as the leadership headquarters for the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces.

(2) The former meeting room of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces is located in Dawangling Village. It is a Qing Dynasty-era ancestral hall of the Liu family, featuring a three-bay, two-courtyard quadrangle layout, measuring 11 meters in length and 16.5 meters in width, with an area of 184 square meters. From October 1940 to October 1941, key leaders of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces such as Lin Ping and Liang Hongjun, along with battalion leaders including Zeng Sheng, Wu Qiang, and Lu Weiliang, frequently held meetings here to discuss the development of the troops and the anti-Japanese base, as well as strategies and tactics for guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines. In May 1941, a military training class of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces was held here, with trainees staying inside the meeting room.

Former headquarters of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces

(3) The former site of the Dajia Tuanjie newspaper office of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces is located in Dawangling Village. It is a mud-brick civilian house, measuring 9.3 meters in length and 11 meters in width, with an area of 102 square meters. In January 1941, the Third Battalion founded the Dajia Tuanjie (Everyone Unite) newspaper here, the first revolutionary newspaper in the anti-Japanese guerrilla areas of Guangdong during the war. The newspaper was printed using a mimeograph and published weekly, with 20 issues released in total. It primarily focused on promoting anti-Japanese guerrilla efforts, reporting domestic and international news, and covering the activities of Japanese puppet troops. In September 1941, it merged with the Xin Baixing (New Common People) newspaper, which was launched by the Fifth Battalion in the Yangtai Mountain Anti-Japanese Base in Bao’an.

(4) The former site of the communication station of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces is located in Dawangling Village. It is a mud-brick civilian house, measuring 9.9 meters in length and 8 meters in width, with an area of 79.2 square meters. In early October 1941, when the Kuomintang forces attacked the Dalingshan Anti-Japanese Base, the main forces of the Third Battalion were deployed for operations outside the base, leaving a small unit and local anti-Japanese self-defense forces to continue fighting within the base. To maintain communication between units and with local Communist Party organizations under the challenging conditions of limited modern transportation and communication tools, a small shop was used as a front to set up a secret communication station here.

(5) The former site of the grain processing workshop of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces is located in Dawangling Village. It is a mud-brick civilian house, measuring 10 meters in length and 7 meters in width, with an area of 70 square meters. From early October 1940 to early October 1941, to strengthen logistical support and ensure sufficient food supplies for the troops, the Third Battalion set up this grain processing workshop here. Rice and other grains were transported to this location, where villagers used simple tools such as bamboo cage mills and pedal pestles to process them before distributing the processed grain to various military units.

Former drill ground of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces

(6) The former site of the drill ground of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces is located in Dawangling Village. It is an open-air space, measuring 46.5 meters in length, with widths of 11 meters and 21 meters respectively, covering an area of about 1,000 square meters. After advancing into Dalingshan in October 1940, the Third Battalion established this area as a drill ground to enhance the military skills and combat effectiveness of its officers and soldiers. In May 1941, to meet the rapid expansion of the battalion and the needs of guerrilla warfare, the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces held a military training class in Dawangling. Squad and platoon leaders selected from the Third and Fifth Battalions attended the training, which also utilized this drill ground.

Former headquarters of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces

(7) The former site of Zhongshan Academy of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces is located in Youguling Village. It is a Qing Dynasty-era Catholic church, measuring 32 meters in length and 19.2 meters in width, with an area of 614.4 square meters and a built-up area of 206 square meters. In July 1941, the Third Battalion founded Zhongshan Academy here, adopting the educational model of the Northern Shaanxi Public School. A cadre training class was held, enrolling dozens of educated youths from Dongguan, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Kowloon. The curriculum included politics, culture, current affairs, and policies. After short-term training, the graduates were assigned to work in both military and civilian roles.

Former headquarters of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces

(8) The former site of the clinic of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces is located in Wengyao Village. It is a mud-brick civilian house, measuring 7.6 meters in length and 7.1 meters in width, with an area of 54 square meters. In April 1941, the Third Battalion set up a clinic here. At the time, medical conditions were extremely poor, with shortages of medicine and rudimentary medical equipment. Medical personnel overcame these challenges by using saltwater as a disinfectant, gathering medicinal herbs, and preparing their own remedies to treat wounded and sick soldiers.

Former meeting room of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces

(9) The former site of the Lianping Lianxiang Office, a democratic anti-Japanese political body, is located in Lianpingjiling Village. It is a Qing Dynasty-era ancestral hall of the Li family, featuring a three-bay, two-courtyard quadrangle layout, measuring 16.9 meters in length and 11.4 meters in width, with an area of 192 square meters. In May 1941, the Third Battalion, in coordination with local Communist Party organizations, established the Lianping Lianxiang Office as a regional governing body. This was formed on the foundation of eight existing anti-Japanese democratic local governments in the Dalingshan area. The office was responsible for civil administration within the base, implementing rent and interest reductions, organizing production, and supporting the guerrilla warfare efforts behind enemy lines.

Former meeting room of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces

Former communication station of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces

Former drill ground of the Third Battalion of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces

Dalingshan Town: Located in the central-southern part of Dongguan City, Dalingshan Town covers an area of 95 square kilometers and governs 23 village committees (communities), with a total population of over 400,000, including approximately 40,000 registered residents.

Dalingshan is situated in the economically vibrant heartland of the Pearl River Delta, at the center of Dongguan’s “trinity” metropolitan area. It borders Hong Kong and Macau and enjoys a prime geographical location. The new National Highway 107, Shida Road, Houda Road, and Lianma Road run through the town. Expressways such as the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Zhuhai, Dongguan-Shenzhen, Changhu, and Longda all have exits within or near the town. It is also close to Changping Railway Station, Humen Port, Bao’an Airport… More details about Dalingshan Town++

Further reading:

· Fourth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units