Pianma Anti-British War Memorial

　　Pianma Anti-British War Memorial
　　Pianma is one of the important frontier outposts on China’s border, as well as a window for the Nujiang Prefecture to open up to the outside world. It is the site of the state-level Class II border trade port, namely Pianma Town. This place was once one of the ancient southwest routes of the Silk Road, and also the main battlefield where ethnic groups in the border areas resisted British colonial aggression in the early 19th century. To commemorate the victory of the Pianma people’s anti-British struggle, bear witness to history, promote patriotism, and support reform and opening up, the Pianma People’s Anti-British Victory Memorial Hall was completed and inaugurated on June 4, 1989, with the care and support of the Party Central Committee, the provincial Party committee, and the provincial government. In May 1989, the Nujiang Prefecture People’s Government designated the Pianma Anti-British Victory Memorial Hall as one of the first batch of prefectural-level cultural relic protection units; in November 1993, the Yunnan Provincial People’s Government classified it as one of the fourth batch of provincial-level cultural relic protection units; and in April 1997, it was named a “Provincial Patriotic Education Base” by the provincial Party committee and government. Over the more than ten years since its completion, the Pianma People’s Anti-British Victory Memorial Hall has made active contributions to promoting the opening of the Pianma Port, boosting local economic development, driving tourism in the border area, establishing a patriotic education base in the ethnic regions of the borderland, and contributing to the construction of socialist material and spiritual civilization.
　　Pianma Town is located in the western part of Lushui County, the site of the provincial-level Pianma Port, and the frontier and window for Lushui’s border opening. It borders Myanmar to the southwest and north, covering a total area of 327.55 square kilometers. The Pianma People’s Anti-British Victory Memorial Hall is built at the upper left of the T-junction from Pianma to Pixi, where the Pianma Town government is located. The memorial hall, built in the style of the traditional houses of the Chashan people, features both ethnic characteristics and a modern touch. Surrounded by green mountains on three sides, its protected area spans over 20,000 square meters.
　　The hall includes exhibition rooms displaying 116 exhibits, including 56 literary materials, 34 photographic materials, and 26 physical objects; one meeting room (40 seats); one lecture hall (247 seats), as well as offices, reception rooms, rest rooms, storage rooms, etc. It is an ideal tourist and sightseeing destination within our county and even our prefecture, and also an excellent venue for patriotic education, ethnic unity education, and showcasing the local customs and natural resources of China’s southwestern borderlands for cadres, military personnel, the public, and young students.
　　Since ancient times, Pianma has been a vital frontier stronghold in China’s southwest and an inseparable part of our county’s territory. During the Dali Kingdom period, Pianma was a western territory of the Nanzhao Kingdom. In the Yuan Dynasty, it belonged to the Yunlong Dian Junmin Fu under the Yunnan Provincial Administration Commission. In the Ming Dynasty, it was part of the “Chashan Changsi Ting” under the Yongchang Junmin Fu of the Yunnan Xingzheng Shisi. In the Qing Dynasty, it was governed by the Denggeng Tusi under the Yongchang Fu (Baoshan County). By the end of the 19th century, after reducing India to a colony, British invaders, driven by ambitions to link India and Burma, penetrate Tibet, and connect with the Yangtze River basin, completely disregarded the Sino-British Yunnan-Burma Treaty of 1884 (the 20th year of the Guangxu reign). In the first ten days of the first lunar month of 1890 (February 13, 1990), they led over a thousand troops to invade areas originally belonging to our Cizhu, Pairai, and Gunma.
　　Along the way, they forcibly demanded supplies and engaged in widespread burning, killing, and looting. Zuo Xiaochen, the Qing dynasty’s local defense commander, and Yang Tirong, the local chieftain, led the people in brave resistance. On the 14th day of the first lunar month, the British troops suddenly launched another attack. Zuo Xiaochen and Yang Tirong led over 500 local militiamen in a valiant fight against the enemy. They fought fiercely until the afternoon of the next day. Ultimately, due to being outnumbered, 137 soldiers and civilians from our side were killed or wounded, and Zuo Xiaochen himself was hit by eight bullets and died a martyr’s death in Ganbeidi. This marked the beginning of the British military’s armed invasion of our Chashan and other areas, as well as the prelude to the anti-British struggle by our various ethnic groups. After the atrocities committed by the British invaders in Chashan and other areas, the incompetence of the Qing government emboldened the British forces, who acted even more recklessly. In the winter of the second year of the Xuantong reign (December 3, 1910), they brazenly dispatched over 2,000 troops and more than 1,000 horses from their colony of Myitkyina. Under the personal command of Colonel Hoz and the direction of Colonel Ferrero, they advanced through Xidong and again occupied Pianma on January 4, 1911.
　　To defend their homeland, over 400 anti-British fighters from various ethnic groups in the Pianma region—including Jingpo, Lisu, Yi, Nu, Derung, Han, and Bai—formed a resistance team under the leadership of the Lisu tribal leader Lemo Duoba (a local administrator). They joined forces with over 100 “militia” sent by local Tusi in Lushui, forming a national self-defense force of over 500 people. Armed with primitive weapons such as homemade guns, cannons, crossbows, spears, broadswords, rolling logs, and stones, they skillfully ambushed the enemy in areas like Gangfang and Gulang. United in hatred and bravery, they fought fiercely, causing the British troops to suffer heavy casualties and flee in panic. This significantly weakened the British forces’ momentum and dealt a heavy blow to their aggressive ambitions.
　　During an ambush in Gulang, the skilled archer Chu Laisi even shot and killed a British commanding officer with a poisoned arrow, further striking fear into the hearts of the enemy. Eventually, due to being outnumbered, the anti-British team had to retreat into the deep mountains and dense forests. At this critical moment, Lemo Duoba sent the brave Lisu archer Chu Laisi to Nujiang to seek urgent help. Risking his life and braving snow and mountains, Chu Laisi successfully delivered the news of the British armed occupation of Pianma to Nujiang and the inland areas. Soon after, he also led over 400 members of the Nujiang Tusi militia’s “crossbow team” across snowy mountain passes, entered Pianma, and joined forces with the Pianma anti-British team led by Lemo Duoba.
　　In the spring of 1985, while the Nujiang people were joyfully celebrating the New Year, the then General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Comrade [name], visited Nujiang to inspect the work. The General Secretary highly praised the anti-British fighting spirit of the Pianma people. At 8:00 AM on February 16, the General Secretary personally inscribed the name of the memorial hall. In the same year, the provincial Party committee and the central government approved the report from the prefectural Party committee and government regarding the construction of the Pianma People’s Anti-British Victory Memorial Hall and Monument, and allocated special funds for it. With the attention and support of the Party Central Committee, the provincial Party committee, and the provincial government, and under the direct guidance of the prefectural and county leaders, the Pianma People’s Anti-British Victory Memorial Hall and Monument, with a total investment of over 1.5 million yuan, were completed and inaugurated on June 4, 1989, amid thunderous salutes.
　　Over the years since its establishment, under the correct leadership of the higher-level authorities, the memorial hall has strictly adhered to requirements, using the purpose of “leaders as role models, grassroots as image-builders, and offices as examples,” along with theoretical knowledge of cultural relics, to strengthen its learning in professional fields and earnestly practice the code of conduct for cultural relic workers. As a result, it has cumulatively received over 1,380 foreign guests, 8,939 students and demobilized veterans, and 16,843 cadres and employees, truly fulfilling the educational role of a national defense education base.