Site of the Red Army's Forced Crossing of the Wu River at Chashanguan in Zunyi

Site of the Red Army's Forced Crossing of the Wu River at Chashanguan in Zunyi

The Site of the Red Army's Forced Crossing of the Wu River at Chashanguan in Zunyi is a cultural relics protection unit of Guizhou Province.

The Site of the Red Army's Forced Crossing of the Wu River at Chashanguan in Zunyi is located on the northern bank of the Wu River in Chashan Village, Shangqi Town, Bozhou District, Zunyi City.

After the Houchang Meeting on January 1, 1935, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued the "Decision on the New Operational Guidelines After Crossing the River," and subsequently decided to split the Central Red Army into three routes to cross the Wu River from the north. On January 2, following the successful breach of the treacherous Wu River by the 1st and 9th Red Armies at the Huilongchang Ferry in Yuqing, the vanguard division of the central route’s 1st Red Army Corps successfully crossed at the Jiangjiahe Ferry on January 3. At 4:00 AM on January 3, 1935, the 3rd Red Army Corps of the left column of the Red Army was ordered to forcefully cross the Wu River at the Chashanguan Ferry. The Guizhou Army defending the Chashanguan Ferry consisted of the 5th Regiment under Hou Zhidan, along with an artillery and machine gun battalion. The Red Army reconnaissance squad swam across the river at three points under the cover of darkness and swiftly captured the high ground, killing the commander of the enemy’s artillery and machine gun battalion. The enemy, who were already fearful of the Red Army, received a telegram from Hou Zhidan stating that the Red Army had crossed the Wu River via Meitan and Jiangjiahe and ordering them to quickly retreat to Zunyi. As a result, they fled without engaging in battle. With the assistance of local boatmen and civilians, the Red Army salvaged sunken boats and built pontoon bridges, successfully crossing the Wu River at both the Chashanguan and Taizitai ferries. Subsequently, the main force of the 3rd Red Army Corps entered Nanbai Town in southern Zunyi to guard against enemies south of the Wu River.

Today, the ancient pass of Chashanguan still retains a large number of historical steles, remnants of fortifications and trenches built by the Nationalist Guizhou Army, as well as the graves of Red Army martyrs.

This former battlefield site is a key cultural relics protection unit of Guizhou Province.

Address: Northern Bank of the Wu River, Chashan Village, Shangqi Town, Bozhou District, Guizhou Province

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Cultural Relics Protection Units in Guizhou Province