Zhang Zizhong Martyrs' Cemetery

　　Zhang Zizhong Martyrs' Cemetery is among the first batch of nationally key protected martyrs' architectural structures and a national patriotic education base. The cemetery is located at the foot of Meihua Mountain in the southwest corner of Beibei District, Chongqing, right in the city center of Beibei. It was established to commemorate General Zhang Zizhong’s heroic resistance against the Japanese army in Nangua Store, Yicheng, Hubei, where he died a martyr’s death during the Anti-Japanese War. Covering an area of 25 acres, the cemetery has expanded from just a burial site to include green spaces, a memorial area, a memorial square, a bronze statue of Zhang Zizhong, and a group sculpture reflecting the culture of the war of resistance. It also includes a 208-square-meter General Memorial Hall and a 153-square-meter reception hall. Built against a hillside and facing north, the cemetery is lush with trees and presents a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

　　Zhang Zizhong (1891～1940)　　Zhang Zizhong, styled Jincheng, was born in August 1891 in Linqing County, Shandong Province. Influenced early on by the revolutionary ideals of Sun Yat-sen, he joined the Tongmenghui (Chinese Revolutionary Alliance) while attending a political and legal school in Tianjin, later abandoning his studies to join the military. In September 1917, he entered the service under General Feng Yuxiang. Recognized for his diligence in learning and bravery in battle, he was highly appreciated by General Feng and rose through the ranks from soldier to commander of the 38th Division, concurrently serving as garrison commander of Zhangjiakou, chairman of Chahar Province, mayor of Beiping, and mayor of Tianjin. After the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in 1937, due to his outstanding military achievements, he was promoted to commander of the 59th Army, then corps commander of the 27th Army, and eventually commander-in-chief of the 33rd Group Army and right-wing army group commander of the Fifth War Zone. On May 2, 1939, he was awarded... Details+