Yangshan Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery

　　Yangshan Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery is situated in Yangshanji, approximately 40 kilometers southwest of Jining City. It was established in 1952 by the Jinxian County Party Committee, County Government, and the people of the county to commemorate the revolutionary martyrs who bravely sacrificed their lives during the Southwest Shandong Campaign and the Battle of Yangshan. The cemetery is built along the mountain terrain on the main peak of the Battle of Yangshan site — Yangtou — showcasing a grand and majestic presence, covering an area of nearly 500 acres, with a staff of 14. Major structures within the cemetery include the Southwest Shandong Campaign Memorial Hall, the Panoramic Painting Museum of the Southwest Shandong Campaign, the Wang Jie Memorial Hall, the Stele Corridor, the Armament Park, the Martyrs’ Columbarium, the Martyrs’ Tomb Cluster, and the Liu-Deng Sculpture Group. In 1988, it was approved by the Shandong Provincial Government as a “Key Provincial Martyrs’ Memorial Building Protection Unit”; in 2001, it was approved by the State Council as a “National Key Martyrs’ Memorial Building Protection Unit”; in 2009, it was designated by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and the National Defense Education Office as a “National Patriotic Education Base” and a “National Defense Education Base,” respectively. The Yangshan Martyrs’ Cemetery has now become a large-scale garden-style cemetery integrating commemoration, education, tourism, and services, and is a renowned revolutionary tradition education base in the Southwest Shandong region.

　　The name of the Southwest Shandong Campaign Memorial Hall was inscribed by a former member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, who personally participated in the Southwest Shandong Campaign. The hall displays precious and rarely seen historical relics such as photographs, telegrams, and letters from the revolutionary period, including a personal letter from Chairman Mao Zedong to Liu and Deng; a group photo of Comrades Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping crossing the Yellow River; photographic materials of our army surrounding the enemy at Yangshan and advancing into the Dabie Mountains; as well as books, military campaign histories, photo albums, audio recordings, and video materials related to the Southwest Shandong Campaign. The entire exhibition hall is like a condensed version of the full course of the Southwest Shandong Campaign, carrying profound educational significance. The hundred-meter Stele Corridor showcases nearly a hundred poems inscribed by well-known figures from all walks of life, veteran generals who participated in the Southwest Shandong Campaign, and calligraphy artists in recent years to honor the martyrs who fell in the battle — these hold immense historical and cultural-artistic value.

　　Wang Jie (1942~1965)　　Wang Jie (1942–1965) was from Huagu Village, Chengjiao Township, Jinxian County. In 1957, when his hometown was hit by a flood, he risked his life to rescue the production team’s horses. In 1958, he was admitted to Jinxian No. 1 Middle School and helped the production team accountant with bookkeeping voluntarily every Sunday when he went home. In 1961, he was enlisted in the army and served as a soldier in the Engineering Company, 1st Platoon of the Armored Forces of the Jinan Military Region of the People’s Liberation Army. On February 21, 1963, he wrote in his diary: “No matter what work I do in the future, I must be absolutely loyal to the cause of the Party, and brave enough to sacrifice for the victory of the revolution. As a Communist Party member, how can one not face death fearlessly? As a revolutionary soldier, how can one care about personal safety?”... Details+

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