Longshi Town

　　Longshi Town, a town under the jurisdiction of Jinggangshan City, Jiangxi Province, neighbors Gehua and Hehua Townships to the east, Mucun Township to the south, Dongshang Township to the west, and borders Gucheng Town and Aoli Township to the north. Located in the middle section of the Luoxiao Mountain Range on the border of Hunan and Jiangxi provinces, it serves as the gateway to southwestern Jiangxi. Longshi is a key tourist destination in Jinggangshan. The area hosts numerous national and provincial cultural heritage sites, including the former site of the Red Army Training Unit, the founding square and headquarters of the Fourth Red Army, Longjiang Academy, the Meeting Bridge, and the former residences of Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and Chen Yi, along with over ten protected sites such as the Jinggangshan Meeting Monument, Memorial Hall, and the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery of the Jinggangshan Base. It is the famed site of the historic meeting of Zhu De and Mao Zedong in Jinggangshan and the cradle of China’s military and political academies.

　　Longshi is a small, picturesque mountain town nestled within the vast forests at the northern foot of Jinggangshan. The town is surrounded by undulating mountains, with a river valley basin at its center. The terrain slopes from southwest to northeast, often described as “Tuoling Ridge standing to the west, and Longjiang River flowing through the middle.” The highest peak in the area reaches 392 meters above sea level. The main river is Longjiang, which meanders southward into the town, joins the Gutian Stream at Zhuxia, receives the Mucun Stream at Xianggongmiao, then turns northward to converge with the Dongyuan Stream at Dajiangbian before flowing into Gucheng Town.

　　This is a town with a long history. During the Jianyan era of the Southern Song Dynasty, Xiao Qimei migrated here from Shiluotouzhou, Xiashi, Xuandu, Ji’an, and established the settlement. The village was initially named Longtou after the former place name and later became known as Longtou Market as commerce developed. During the Yuan Dynasty's Zhi Shun era, Longshi belonged to Longxi Township, Sigao Market, under the protection of Sibao. In 1362, it was placed under the jurisdiction of the Longshi Stockade Inspection Office. In the late Qing and early Republican period, Longshi was part of the autonomous Sibao Township under the Longshi Autonomous District. On February 21, 1928, the Ninggang County Workers-Peasants-Soldiers Government was established in Longshi, which then belonged to Longshi Township in the Longshi District—marking the beginning of Longshi as a county seat. In 1933, the Ninggang County government offices were located in Longshi, under the first Baolian area of the Longshi District. By 1940, the bao-lian system was replaced with the xiang (township) system, and Longshi was officially named Longshi Town, encompassing the first, second, and third bao areas. In 1948, Longshi Town governed eight bao, with the county seat still within the first, second, and third bao. In the autumn of 1949, the county seat of Longshi was designated as part of the Chengxiang District’s Longshi Administrative Village.

　　During the Republican era, Longshi’s main streets included Hexi Zhengjie, Aoshang Street, Hedong Zhengjie, Mi Street, Heng Street, and Ya Street—all narrow and winding. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, multiple renovations and expansions greatly transformed the urban landscape. Today, the town has seven roads and seven lanes. In May 2000, when Jinggangshan City and the former Ninggang County merged to form the new Jinggangshan City, Longshi was listed as one of the three major urban districts of Jinggangshan, ushering in a new administrative system. This is the cradle of China’s revolution. During the Second Revolutionary Civil War, Longshi was the sacred site of the great Jinggangshan meeting, the military stronghold of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army, and the birthplace of the world-renowned Jinggangshan revolutionary path.

　　This is the historic site of the Jinggang Meeting. In late November 1926, the first Party branch of Ninggang County was established in the Wenxing Pavilion of Longjiang Academy. From then on, under the strong leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and the personal guidance of revolutionary pioneers such as Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and Chen Yi, the people of Longshi enthusiastically joined the army and fought bravely. They fought relentlessly, fearlessly sacrificing their lives to establish, consolidate, and develop the Jinggangshan revolutionary base. In the great struggle to defend the “armed separatist regime” in the middle section of the Luoxiao Mountains, a total of 86 outstanding sons and daughters laid down their lives for the revolution.

　　Every inch of land in Longshi has been stained with the blood of revolutionary martyrs, and every mountain peak bears the footprints of Red Army soldiers. The area preserves over ten well-maintained revolutionary sites, including the former headquarters of the Fourth Red Army, the Red Army Training Unit (precursor to the National Defense University), and the Founding Square. Among these, four are designated as National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, monuments such as the Jinggangshan Meeting Monument, the Jinggangshan Meeting Memorial Hall, the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base Martyrs’ Cemetery, and the Meeting Bridge were built to commemorate the martyrs and the historic meeting. These sites form an open-air museum—a vivid classroom that inspires the spirit and elevates the soul. They serve as an important platform for Longshi’s external promotion, patriotic education, and revolutionary tradition education. The site has been named the “Jiangxi Social Education Base” by the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the CCP, listed among the “Top Ten National Youth Revolutionary Tradition Education Bases” by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, and honored as a “National Outstanding Social Education Base” by the National Cultural Heritage Administration.

　　This is a scenic area rich in historical and cultural landmarks. In Longshi (Lungshi), there are internationally renowned sites such as the Meeting Bridge, Meeting Square, Meeting Memorial Hall, and Meeting Monument. A 500-meter walk northwest from the Meeting Monument leads to the Wenxing Pavilion, where Mao Zedong and Zhu De once met. Longshi boasts not only profound cultural heritage but also longstanding natural beauty. Among its historic sights are the “River Lion Pounding the Plate,” “Bell Tower Evening Greenery,” “Net-Shaped Morning Coolness,” “Golden Turtle and Jade Seal,” “Flag Mountain Dancing in the Wind,” “Longxi Ancient Pavilion,” “Camel Ridge Layered Peaks,” and “East River Swimming Fish”—collectively known as the Eight Ancient Scenic Spots of Longshi. Additionally, the town features historical relics such as the Sanchangxian Temple from the Eastern Han Dynasty’s Jian’an era, the Longjiang Temple from the Northern Song Dynasty’s Xining era, the Xiao Gong Archway from the Ming Dynasty’s Chenghua Year of Wu Zi, the Longjiang Academy from the Qing Dynasty’s Daoguang era, the Western-style Liu Desheng Pharmacy, and various exquisitely carved ancestral halls. Though many of these natural and historical sites have suffered damage over time, efforts are underway to restore them and transform them into new attractions.