Jinggangshan Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery

　　Jinggangshan Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery faces south and overlooks the majestic main peak of Jinggang Mountain. Surrounded by lush pines and cypresses, the solemn site is built along the mountainside and consists of four parts: the Memorial Hall, the Stele Forest, the Monument, and the Sculpture Garden. There are two sets of steps leading up the mountain: the first set has 49 steps, symbolizing the founding of New China in 1949, and the second set has 60 steps, representing the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base in October 1987. In October 1997, the "Jinggangshan Revolutionary Martyrs' Monument," inscribed by Deng Xiaoping, was unveiled.

　　To commemorate the great achievements of proletarian revolutionaries such as Mao Zedong in establishing the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base, to promote the Jinggangshan Spirit, and to provide patriotic education, the Jinggangshan Municipal Party Committee and Government built the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery in October 1985 on the lush, forested Beishan Mountain in Ciping. It officially opened to the public in October 1987. The cemetery consists of four main parts: the Monument, the Memorial Hall, the Sculpture Garden, and the Stele Forest.

　　The main monument is made of titanium-plated stainless steel. Standing 27 meters tall, it symbolizes the founding of the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base in 1927. The design of the main monument highlights the shape of a "mountain." It carries several layers of meaning: from afar, it resembles a flame, symbolizing the Jinggangshan spirit that "a single spark can start a prairie fire"; up close, it looks like an array of steel guns, symbolizing that "political power grows out of the barrel of a gun." The inscription on the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Martyrs' Monument was personally written by Comrade [Name].

　　The Sculpture Garden is the first of its kind in China to feature historical revolutionary figures, with 20 statues of key leaders and notable individuals from the Jinggangshan Front Committee, Military Commission, and Special Committee during the Jinggangshan struggle period.

　　The Stele Forest contains 140 inscribed stone tablets, including calligraphy from veterans of the Jinggangshan struggle, inscriptions by Party and state leaders during their visits to Jinggangshan, as well as works by renowned calligraphers and public figures.

　　The Memorial Hall includes a Hall of Remembrance, an Exhibition Room, a Mourning Hall, and the Hall of Loyal Souls. The Hall of Remembrance is where people pay tribute to the martyrs and lay wreaths. On the white marble wall is the gold-plated inscription "Long Live the Fallen Martyrs," personally written by Mao Zedong. The Hall of Loyal Souls houses the ashes of five veteran revolutionaries: Zhang Lingbin, He Changgong, Wen Yucheng, He Minxue, and [Name].

　　History is recorded in four ways: first, through written texts in books; second, through architecture that endures; third, through legends passed down by word of mouth; and fourth, through cultural relics buried underground. "Any architecture, whether in the West or the East, is not merely a material concept. It is infused with a distinct spiritual character and rich cultural connotations. Architecture is the most direct dialogue between humans and nature, where people vividly present to nature the insights and inspirations they gain from it. Ancient Western architecture is religious, theocratic, and economic; ancient Chinese architecture is ethical, imperial, and political." I no longer remember when or where I copied this passage into my notebook, but it always echoes in my mind when I enter the Jinggangshan Beishan Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery, prompting me to view Beishan from this perspective. Gradually, I realized that the message of Beishan is a reflection on life itself.

　　Architecture is a manifestation of culture, a statement of politics, and an extension of spirit and thought. The consequences of Qin Shi Huang’s book burning and persecution of scholars left the Chinese with the imprints of "[Term]" and "collective punishment." The Chinese have grown accustomed to expressing themselves through indirect, obscure, and metaphorical language—either waiting in the mountains for the right moment or retreating into monastic life to escape worldly affairs. Such thinking and ideology, reflected in Chinese architecture, require deep humanistic insight to truly understand. That’s why, when I look at ancient architecture, it often feels like reading English to me. I recognize every letter, but when they come together to form sentences and then a full text, I either understand only bits and pieces or nothing at all. It makes me deeply aware of the profoundness of thought, the greatness and indomitable nature of humanity, and the eternal truth that existence is permanence.

　　Time Needed

　　2 hours

　　Admission Fee

　　Included in the general admission ticket

　　Opening Hours

　　[Summer/Autumn (Mar 16–Nov 15)] 8:00–17:00

　　[Winter/Spring (Nov 16–Mar 15)] 8:30–16:30

　　1. Last entry at 17:00 in summer/autumn, 16:30 in winter/spring.

　　2. Closed all day on Tuesdays.

　　Location

　　Ciping Town, Jinggangshan City