The Tomb of Martyr Chen Fu

The Tomb of Martyr Chen Fu

The Tomb of Martyr Chen Fu is a Guangzhou Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Tomb of Martyr Chen Fu is located at Liuwangdian Hill on Jiangnan Avenue Middle in Haizhu District (adjacent to the northwest side of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts).

In December 2008, it was designated as part of the seventh batch of Guangzhou Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Chen Fu (1907–1932), also known as Zhifu, was from Mingjing Township, Panyu County. His father, Chen Shuren, was a veteran of the Kuomintang and one of the founders of the Lingnan School of painting. In his childhood, Chen Fu moved with his parents to Guangzhou, where he attended Nanyu Primary School in Haizhu District and later studied at Shanghai Fudan Middle School. During his time in Shanghai, he read extensively on Marxism-Leninism and, while pursuing his studies, engaged in revolutionary activities—dressing as a rickshaw puller and working alongside laborers to connect deeply with the masses and promote revolutionary ideals. In 1925, he was selected by Dr. Sun Yat-sen to study at Sun Yat-sen University in Moscow, where he joined the Communist Party of China. After graduating in 1929, he returned to China and initially served as the deputy editor-in-chief of the pro-Party Hong Kong newspaper Workers' Daily. In 1930, he was transferred to the CPC’s Shuntian Provincial Committee in Tianjin, where he worked with Comrade Nie Rongzhen, but was soon arrested and imprisoned. Despite being subjected to severe torture in prison, he remained resolute. He was eventually rescued by the Party organization and reassigned to Guangzhou, where he became the propaganda minister of the CPC Guangzhou Municipal Committee. On August 10, 1932, he was unfortunately arrested again and secretly executed that same night by the reactionary Kuomintang forces at the “Punishment Field” in Nanshitou. He was only 25 years old at the time.

Throughout his life, Chen Fu balanced his studies with active participation in revolutionary work. He wore the clothes of a rickshaw worker, pulled carts alongside them, and through these efforts, connected deeply with the masses and propagated revolutionary ideas. In 1925, he was selected by Dr. Sun Yat-sen to study at Sun Yat-sen University in Moscow, where he joined the Communist Party of China. In 1929, upon graduation and returning to China, he first served as the deputy director of the Workers’ Daily, a newspaper sponsored by our Party in Hong Kong. In 1930, he was assigned to the CPC’s Shuntian Provincial Committee in Tianjin, where he worked alongside Comrade Nie Rongzhen. He was soon arrested and imprisoned. Although tortured severely in prison, he remained steadfast. He was later rescued by the Party and transferred to Guangzhou to serve as the propaganda minister of the CPC Guangzhou Municipal Committee. On August 10, 1932, he was arrested once again and was secretly killed that very night by the reactionary Kuomintang at the “Punishment Field” in Nanshitou. He was only 25 years old.

After the martyr Chen Fu’s death, his father Chen Shuren buried his remains in his own painting and resting place, “Xiyuan” (now located behind the Haizhu Shopping Centre on Jiangnan Avenue Middle), where he built the “Sifang Pavilion” in his memory. The pavilion features inscriptions including the Report on the Tragic Capture and Killing of Chen Fu and the mourning poem Crying for My Son Fu. Later, these inscriptions were damaged by the reactionary Kuomintang forces. After the liberation, the martyr’s remains were relocated by the municipal government to the Milky Way Cemetery. In October 1986, the cemetery was expanded, the tomb pavilion was renovated, a gatehouse was added, and a rear memorial wall was constructed. The cemetery covers an area of about 90 square meters. The stone gate of the tomb, bearing an inscription handwritten by Marshal Nie Rongzhen, faces south.

The tomb faces south. The stone lintel above the gate reads “Tomb of Martyr Chen Fu,” inscribed by Marshal Nie Rongzhen. Within the cemetery stands a hexagonal concrete pavilion with a pointed roof. The tip of the roof is adorned with a hexagonal precious bead. The pavilion has a diameter of 4.4 meters and a height of 2.7 meters. At the back of the pavilion, a wall is built with an inscribed stone reading “Tomb of Mr. Chen Fu.” On both sides of the stone are two other carved stones, featuring the Report on the Tragic Capture and Killing of Chen Fu and four poems titled Crying for My Son Fu.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Guangzhou Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Units