Pan Mountain Martyrs' Cemetery

　　Pan Mountain Martyrs' Cemetery is located on Pan Mountain in Jixian County, Tianjin. Built in 1957, it is one of the well-known martyrs' cemeteries in eastern Hebei. Covering an area of 20 hectares, its main structures include the Martyrs' Monument, the Martyrs' Cemetery Area, the Martyrs' Memorial Hall, and the Revolutionary Tradition Education Memorial Hall.

　　Introduction

　　Pan Mountain Martyrs' Cemetery is one of the notable martyrs' cemeteries in Tianjin. To commemorate the revolutionary martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the War of Resistance against Japan, in 1956, the Hebei Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and the provincial government decided to build the Pan Mountain Martyrs' Cemetery in Jixian County, which was largely completed in 1957. The cemetery is situated on the southern foothills of Pan Mountain, surrounded by clear springs, unique rocks, lush pines and cypresses, and orchards, offering picturesque scenery. Covering a total area of 300 acres, its main buildings include the Martyrs' Memorial Tower, the Martyrs' Cemetery Area, the Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall, the Pan Mountain Anti-Japanese Struggle Exhibition Hall, and the Martyrs' Columbarium. The entire complex features ethnic architectural styles, grand and magnificent, solemn and respectful.

　　The Pan Mountain Cemetery was constructed on the foundations of the Little Stone City and the Leshan Study from the former Jingji Mountain Villa. The present Stone Sea within the cemetery was once the Little Stone City. The Stone Sea currently spans five to six acres, with countless massive round stones, long stones, and peculiar rocks stretching across valleys and cliffs, displaying a myriad of shapes—a wonder of the world. The Stone Sea is riddled with caves, some of which are bottomless. This site was also a famous battleground during the War of Resistance against Japan. In the spring of 1941, the First Battalion of the 13th Regiment of the Eighth Route Army used this natural barrier to fight off several times their number in Japanese troops for two days and nights, achieving victory in a breakout battle. Near the cemetery are also remnants from the Anti-Japanese period in eastern Hebei, such as slogans carved on rocks by resistance fighters, as well as battlefields, meeting sites, radio stations, and newspaper offices.

　　The structures are grand and magnificent, rich in ethnic style. The pine and cypress trees in the cemetery are dense, contributing to its solemn and respectful atmosphere. The Monument is built with white marble blocks, with inscriptions on its four sides: "Glorious martyrs live on forever" inscribed by Nie Rongzhen, "Live forever in the hearts of the people" by Xie Juezai, "Heroes who sacrificed for the revolutionary cause live on forever" by Li Yunchang, and "The heroic spirit of anti-Japanese heroes endures" by Song Shao Wen. The Martyrs' Memorial Hall displays calligraphy by Chairman Mao Zedong, portraits of the martyrs, biographies, and a roll of honor.

　　Memorial Hall

　　The Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall is located at the center of the cemetery, covering an area of 200 square meters. At the center of the hall is a handwritten inscription by Mao Zedong. On both sides of the inscription are introduced 53 martyrs who were engaged in anti-Japanese work in Jixian County and eastern Hebei during the War of Resistance against Japan. These include Deputy Commander of the Eastern Hebei Military District Bao Sen, Secretary of the Western Eastern Hebei Regional Committee Tian Ye, Commissioner of the First Prefecture of Eastern Hebei-Liaoning Yang Dazhang, Deputy Commander of the Anti-Japanese Detachment Bai Yihua, and one of the main founders of the Jixian County Party, Li Ziguang. The hall sequentially displays portraits of the martyrs for veneration, along with introductions to their life stories.

　　Martyrs’ Monument – The Martyrs’ Monument stands tall at the highest point in the northern part of the cemetery. The monument base covers 1,177 square meters, and the body of the monument is constructed from white marble blocks, adorned with patterns of gears and wheat ears symbolizing the alliance of workers and peasants. The monument is 27.5 meters high and can be admired from a distance of 10–20 li (approximately 5–10 kilometers), representing the noble image of the revolutionary martyrs. On the front of the monument is engraved the golden calligraphy of Marshal Nie Rongzhen: “Glorious martyrs live on forever,” shining brilliantly. On the left is inscribed Xie Juezai’s words: “Live forever in the hearts of the people;” on the right is Song Shao Wen’s inscription: “The heroic spirit of anti-Japanese heroes endures;” and on the back is Li Yunchang’s writing: “Heroes who sacrificed for the revolutionary cause live on forever.” These inscriptions express the boundless reverence and deep remembrance of the Party and the people toward the revolutionary martyrs.