San Gang Revolutionary Base

　　    “San Gang” refers to three villages in Aigang Township, Xihua County: Duchenggang, Lingtougang, and Miaoligang. In 1933, the Northern Bureau of the Central Committee successively sent individuals such as Shen Dongping to “San Gang” to assist local progressives including Hu Xiaochu in establishing the “Puli School” (implying the spread of communist truth), offering free education to children from poor families, propagating the party’s principles, and developing local armed forces. In October 1936, the Northern Bureau of the Central Committee approved the establishment of the Henan–Eastern Special Committee of the Party and the Xihua County Committee in “San Gang.” Later, it served as a revolutionary base against Japanese aggression, training over 4,000 revolutionary youths, recruiting more than 400 party members, and forming the “Xihua People’s Anti-Japanese Self-Defense Army,” a revolutionary armed force numbering over 6,000 personnel. An underground red government was also established, with underground party member Chu Bo as county magistrate and all district heads being party members. Revolutionary mass organizations with strong political influence, such as peasant associations, children’s corps, and Young Pioneers, were organized, creating an impressive anti-Japanese force of 100,000 people. As a result, “San Gang” at the time earned the nicknames “Little Zhugou” and “Little Yan’an.”

　　    In 1940, the 81st Division launched a suppression campaign against the “San Gang” base, and revolutionary anti-Japanese activities went underground. During the four years of the base’s existence, it wrote a glorious chapter in the history of the War of Resistance Against Japan and nurtured a large number of outstanding talents for the revolutionary cause. Most students of the Puli School in “San Gang” later embarked on revolutionary paths, with over 100 becoming cadres at military or divisional levels or above, as well as at the regional or departmental level.

　　    After liberation, the higher-level government allocated 52 acres of land. In 1956, with a fund of 20,000 yuan from the Civil Affairs Department of Henan Province, efforts began to rebuild the revolutionary base Puli School. In 1957, the school was relocated from within Lingtougang Village to a newly constructed site behind the village. At the center of the schoolyard at Puli School stands the “San Gang” Revolutionary Base Memorial Tower, whose front face bears 21 large characters reading: “Eternal glory to the heroes who bravely sacrificed for the victory of the revolutionary cause.” Unfortunately, due to long-term neglect, the upper northwest section of the tower has eroded, with only the characters “一” and “会主义” remaining from the original eight-character inscription “一切为了社会主义” (Everything for Socialism). The cement covering the middle outer layer of the tower has also peeled off, exposing the bricks beneath.

　　    To deeply explore Xihua’s red cultural resources, inherit revolutionary historical traditions, and promote the national spirit centered on patriotism, in 2014, Xihua County accelerated the development of the “San Gang” Revolutionary Base Patriotic Education Base. Efforts included actively collecting, organizing relevant literature and materials, protecting and renovating the Puli School and the memorial tower, as well as applying for provincial-level cultural relic protection status. Currently, the initial compilation work of the book “San Gang Flames” has been completed.

　　    Source: Office of the People’s Government of Xihua County