Former Residence of Cao Qiqin and Exhibition Hall of His Life and Deeds

Former Residence of Cao Qiqin and Exhibition Hall of His Life and Deeds

(Photography: Zhou Guanjun)

The Former Residence of Cao Qiqin and Exhibition Hall of His Life and Deeds is a Yangzhou municipal cultural relics protection unit, a classic red tourism site, and a patriotic education base.

The former residence of Cao Qiqin is located at No. 338 Dongguan Street in the ancient city of Yangzhou. It was the home where the martyr Cao Qiqin was born and grew up.

Cao Qiqin, styled Jianyu, also used the aliases Lushiying and Chen Junhao. He was the leader of the first Chinese Communist Party organization in the history of Yangzhou. In 1906, Cao Qiqin was born into a clerk’s family in Yangzhou. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1927, and subsequently served as acting secretary of the Yangzhou Special Branch, acting secretary and then secretary of the Yangzhou County Committee, special commissioner for the eastern township of the Yangzhou Special Committee, and secretary of the urban district committee. In April 1929, he was appointed acting secretary of the Taizhou County Committee. In August 1929, Cao Qiqin was arrested by the Kuomintang in Taizhou. On February 24, 1931, Cao Qiqin and 16 other revolutionaries were executed at the foot of Beigu Mountain in Zhenjiang. He was only 25 years old. In 2009, Cao Qiqin was included among the “Fifty Jiangsu Heroes and Model Figures Who Made Outstanding Contributions to the Founding of New China.”

Cao Qiqin laid an important foundation for the revolutionary struggle in the Yangzhou area. In response to the needs of the revolutionary movement at the time, he established three party branches in Gaohanzhuang, Lijiaqiao, and Sunjiadun, recruiting rural party members. He traveled to Taizhou twice to establish the Qinhuai District Committee of Taizhou, providing a strong leadership core for the workers’ and peasants’ revolutionary movement in the Taizhou area. In the rural areas of Jiangdu, Cao Qiqin formed peasant organizations such as the “Peasants’ Association” and the “Poor People’s Association,” leading struggles to fight for the interests of peasants and gaining widespread support from them, thereby consolidating the party’s foundation in the countryside.

After the liberation, Cao Qiqin’s former residence was occupied and renovated by others. After being restored and opened to the public, the residence now consists of four southern-facing rooms built during the late Qing Dynasty, one western wing room, and a courtyard. The residence houses an exhibition hall dedicated to the life and deeds of the martyr, displaying over 30 items including display cabinets, panels, photographs, and antique furniture.

In August 1996, the Yangzhou Municipal Government designated the residence as a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit. In August 2005, the Municipal Construction Bureau and Cultural Relics Bureau erected an interpretive plaque in front of the residence. In July 2008, the Yangzhou Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government decided to restore the former residence of martyr Cao Qiqin, establish an exhibition hall of his life and deeds, and opened it to the public in October 2009. It has since become an important site for revolutionary tradition education and patriotic education in Yangzhou, as well as an excellent destination for red tourism.

Source: Yangzhou Net

Cao Qiqin, styled Jianyu, also used the aliases Lushiying and Chen Junhao, was the leader of the first Chinese Communist Party organization in the history of Yangzhou.

Introduced to the Party by Yun Daiying in May 1925, he later served as the secretary of the Party branch at the Provincial No. 8 Middle School—the earliest CCP organization in Yangzhou. After August 1928, he held positions such as secretary of the provisional county committee of the CCP in Yangzhou, secretary of the urban district committee, and secretary of the county committee of Tai County. In response to the needs of the revolutionary struggle at the time, he created three party branches in Gaohanzhuang, Lijiaqiao, and Sunjiadun, recruiting rural party members; he traveled to Taizhou twice to establish the Qinhuai District Committee of Taizhou... More detailed information about Cao Qiqin++

Further Reading:

· First to Third Batches of Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Units in Yangzhou City