Former Site of the Brick Wall Village Command Post of the Hundred Regiments Offensive

　　The former site of the command post of the Hundred Regiments Offensive in Brick Wall Village is located in the eastern mountainous area, 94 li from the county town. On March 4, 1961, it was announced by the State Council as one of the first batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.

　　On July 15, 1939, just as the Japanese invaders launched the second nine-route offensive against the anti-Japanese base in southeastern Shanxi, the headquarters moved from Beicun in Lucheng via Xiazhuang in Licheng to Brick Wall Village. After commanding the Eighth Route Army to crush the Japanese siege and “mopping-up” operations in southeastern Shanxi, apart from a small contingent remaining in Brick Wall, the headquarters relocated on October 11, 1939, to Wangjiayu, 10 kilometers to the southwest. In June 1940, after the enemy occupied Duan Village, the headquarters returned to Brick Wall on June 27, where Deputy Commander Peng and Deputy Chief of Staff Zuo Quan directed the world-shocking “Hundred Regiments Offensive.” On November 4, 1940, the headquarters moved to Wujun Temple in Liaoxian County (now Zuoquan County). After the anti-“mopping-up” campaign in May 1942, Deputy Commander Peng led the headquarters to return to Brick Wall Village for the third time on the sixth day of the lunar calendar. A memorial service for martyr Zuo Quan was held here, after which they soon proceeded to Taiyue District, later returning to Matian and Wujun Temple.

　　During the Eighth Route Army headquarters’ stay in Brick Wall, the Party, government, and military organs were stationed in villages around the main site: the Central Committee’s Northern Bureau and the Eighth Route Army’s Field Political Department were in Tuhé Village; the Northern Bureau Party School was in Shangbeizhang; the North China Xinhua Daily was in Anlezhuang; the headquarters’ Judge Advocate Office was in Nanshan Tou. Thus, this ordinary village of Brick Wall became the command center of the anti-Japanese front in North China. Leaders of the Eighth Route Army such as -, -, -, Chen Geng, -, Lu Dingyi, Fu Zhong, and Yang Lisan frequently attended important Party, government, and military meetings at the headquarters. On September 23, 1940, the Central Committee’s Northern Bureau held a high-level cadres meeting in Brick Wall. Comrade Luo Ruiqing delivered a political report on “The Fundamental Principles of Our Army’s Political Work in the Anti-Japanese Strategy, A Review of Our Army’s Political Work Over the Past Three Years of the War of Resistance, and Some Current Issues in Political Work”; Comrade Peng Dehuai presented an outline report on international and domestic situations and several issues regarding the consolidation of the anti-Japanese base areas; - gave a report on several issues in base area construction. These meetings played a significant role in developing guerrilla warfare and building base areas.

　　During its stay in Brick Wall, the headquarters commanded the Eighth Route Army in North China in a series of famous campaigns and battles.

　　In July 1940, Deputy Commander Peng, Deputy Chief of Staff Zuo Quan, Director Luo Ruiqing, -, -, -, Nie Rongzhen, Lü Zhengcao, and other Eighth Route Army leaders deployed and commanded the world-shocking “Hundred Regiments Offensive” here, breaking the Japanese “cage policy,” tying down large enemy forces, hindering the Japanese advance into our rear areas, and curbing the undercurrent of appeasement and surrender at the time.

　　On March 4, 1961, the State Council designated the former site of the Eighth Route Army General Headquarters in Brick Wall as one of the first batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level. In 1979, funded by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, relevant departments at the provincial, regional, and county levels organized the renovation of the new kiln courtyard, Li Family Ancestral Hall, Buddha Temple, Grandma Temple, and Jade Emperor Temple at the former headquarters site—undertaking roof repairs, demolitions and rebuilds, as well as restorations and new constructions—and arranging original indoor displays. It officially opened to the public on October 1, 1980, receiving visitors. Since then, this small mountain village of Brick Wall has gained fame as a revolutionary holy land, attracting a continuous stream of tourists every year.