Fujian Western Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery

　　Located on Huling Mountain in the urban area of Longyan City, Fujian Province, this is a solemn, magnificent, well-organized, and uniquely landscaped martyrs' cemetery. In 1989, it was approved by the State Council and announced by the Ministry of Civil Affairs as one of the second batch of National Key Martyrs' Memorial Buildings under Protection. In 1995, it was designated by the Ministry of Civil Affairs as one of the first 100 national patriotic education bases. It serves as an important base for revolutionary tradition and patriotic education in Western Fujian.

　　Western Fujian was a vital part of the former Central Soviet Area and the birthplace of the Red Army. Every inch of land here is stained with the blood of martyrs; every mountain forest is shrouded in the smoke of battle; and every river has accompanied the brave fighting of the Red Army. During the long years of revolutionary struggle, over 100,000 sons and daughters from Western Fujian joined the Red Army. Of the 86,000 soldiers of the Central Red Army who undertook the world-famous 25,000-li Long March, 28,000 were outstanding individuals from Western Fujian. At that time, when the Central Red Army forcefully crossed the Xiang River and broke through the Kuomintang’s fourth blockade line, it was the 34th Division of the 5th Red Army Corps—comprised of more than 6,000 soldiers from Western Fujian—that was entrusted with the critical task of covering the rear for the entire army. Most of them shed their blood in the Xiang River. Also, the 22nd Division of the 9th Red Army Corps—made up of more than 2,000 soldiers from Western Fujian—suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of Gaotai west of Gansu. For the victory of the Chinese revolution, many outstanding individuals from Western Fujian gave their precious lives. There were over 24,000 registered revolutionary martyrs, accounting for 53.6% of the total number of martyrs registered in the province. In addition, there were countless unnamed martyrs, more than 160,000 civilians were killed, over 40,000 families were wiped out, and more than 600 villages were burned to the ground. After the Long March, the Red Army guerrilla forces led by Zhang Dingcheng, Deng Zihui, and Tan Zhenlin remained in Western Fujian to persist in three grueling years of guerrilla warfare. They crushed five brutal “mopping-up” campaigns by 150,000 Kuomintang regular troops, endured the devastation of the “Three Alls” policy (burn all, kill all, loot all) including village relocation and consolidation, preserved large areas of old guerrilla bases and the fruits of the land revolution across a population of 200,000, and created the miracle of the “20 Years of Unfurled Red Flags.” They composed magnificent and glorious epic tales of heroism, forged the unique spirit of the Western Fujian revolutionary base.

　　To commemorate the heroic deeds of the martyrs and promote patriotic and revolutionary tradition education, the people of Western Fujian built the Fujian Western Revolutionary Martyrs Monument in July 1955 in Longyan County, the seat of the Longyan Prefecture. After several phases of planning and renovation, it has become a uniquely landscaped martyrs’ cemetery and also serves as an important base for revolutionary tradition and patriotic education in Western Fujian.

　　The Fujian Western Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery now covers an area of 122 mu. The pine trees within the park form a dense forest, creating a spectacular sight. The monument stands 25.35 meters high and is constructed from more than ten different types and specifications of marble. The horizontal top of the monument is adorned with a relief carving of auspicious clouds. The base of the monument is surrounded by granite railings, and its sides are inscribed with the calligraphy of Zhang Dingcheng (“Eternal glory to the revolutionary martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country and the people” – north side), Deng Zihui (“Eternal glory to the revolutionary martyrs” – south side), Wei Jinshui (“The heroic names of the revolutionary martyrs will live forever” – east side), and Wu Hongxiang (“The spirit of the martyrs who died for the revolution will endure” – west side). The lintel of the main gate on the south side of the cemetery features a horizontal plaque inscribed with “Fujian Western Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery” by Chen Pixian, a veteran proletarian revolutionary. Beneath the white marble plaque, the inscription on the stone summarizes the revolutionary struggles in Western Fujian and highly praises the spirit of sacrifice of the martyrs. Other structures in the cemetery include the Glory Pavilion, Xiafei Gate, and the tomb of martyr Guo Diren. Guo Diren (1907–1936), from Longyan, Fujian, was one of the founders of the Western Fujian Party organization and the Western Fujian Revolutionary Base. After joining the Long March and arriving in Northern Shaanxi, he served as the Propaganda Minister of the Shaanbei Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, among other positions. He passed away in 1936 in Bao’an, Shaanxi.

　　The northern end of the cemetery houses the Fujian Western Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall, which was completed in October 1986.

　　“Honoring the martyrs and educating the public” is the fundamental mission entrusted to the cemetery by the government and society. Every year, numerous visitors from party, government, military agencies, and all walks of life come to the cemetery for tours and memorial activities. According to incomplete statistics, on major revolutionary memorial days such as “April 5,” “May 4,” “July 1,” “August 1,” and “October 1,” over one million people visit the cemetery. During the Qingming Festival each year, party, government, and military agencies, primary and secondary schools, and various sectors of society organize visits to the cemetery to pay respects at the monument, sweep the martyrs’ tombs, and engage in diverse forms of patriotic activities.

　　In recent years, following the guiding principles of “people-oriented, maintaining the theme, and building a harmonious landscape” and “solemn and respectful, convenient for the public,” the overall renovation plan of the cemetery has focused on beautification, moving toward ecological, green, and park-like development to highlight the timeless spirit of the martyrs. Actively responding to the municipal government's call to create a “green, bright, and beautiful” city center, the cemetery has prioritized creating a pleasant environment. Through well-balanced spatial planning, the open spaces and barren slopes of the cemetery have been scientifically and reasonably laid out. Harmonious and bright colors have been introduced, new scenic spots have been added, existing healthy trees have been preserved, and grass and trees have been planted to enhance the landscape, providing a space for leisure and enjoyment for residents.

　　Over 8 million yuan has been invested in the protection and renovation of the cemetery, achieving the “Five Modernizations”: themed cemetery ambiance, beautified and greened environment, illuminated night lighting, accessible transportation infrastructure, and park-like leisure facilities for visitors.

　　Source: Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People’s Republic of China