Sun Kou General's Crossing Yellow River Scenic Area

　　The Taiqian County Sun Kou General's Crossing Yellow River Scenic Area is based on the provincial-level cultural relic protection site “Crossing Site of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army,” and is planned and constructed along the Linhuang Embankment. Located on the banks of the Yellow River at the junction of Henan and Shandong, it serves as a strategic transportation hub connecting northwest and southwest Shandong, and has historically been an important military location.

　　On June 30, 1947, the Liu-Deng Army crossed the treacherous Yellow River centered at Sun Kou, initiating the strategic offensive of the Liberation War. This great event holds a significant place in the history of the Chinese revolution. To commemorate revolutionary history, honor revolutionary martyrs, strengthen revolutionary tradition education and patriotic education for cadres, the masses, and youth, and to accelerate the economic development of Taiqian, the county Party committee and government decided to build the “General’s Crossing Yellow River Scenic Area” along the Linhuang Embankment based on the “Sun Kou Crossing Site.” In December 2004, the General’s Crossing Yellow River Scenic Area was approved by the Taiqian County Development and Reform Commission as a red tourism base construction project, and construction began in December 2005.

　　To ensure the high-quality development and construction of the General’s Crossing Yellow River Scenic Area, the county Party committee and government decided in July 2006 to establish the General’s Crossing Yellow River Scenic Area Development and Construction Preparatory Committee and the General’s Crossing Yellow River Scenic Area Development and Construction Management Committee. They also visited revolutionary veterans such as [name omitted] who had participated in the crossing, invited relevant experts to conduct research in Taiqian, and solicited their opinions and suggestions for the scenic area’s construction, making significant contributions to the project’s implementation.

　　The Sun Kou General’s Crossing Yellow River Scenic Area covers a planned area of over 500 acres, divided into five zones: the Relief Stele Corridor Zone, the Monument and Plaza, the Main Memorial Hall, the Yellow River Tourist Zone, and the Service Zone. The project is to be completed in three phases. In 2006, an investment of 900,000 yuan completed the first phase, including the construction of the Liu-Deng Army Crossing Memorial Hall with a floor area of 315 square meters. The hall’s name was inscribed by [name omitted]. A “General’s Pavilion” was built along the dam, with the plaque and couplet inscribed by renowned calligrapher Li Duo and Li Chunhua, vice president of the China Cultural Promotion Association for Impoverished Areas, respectively. In 2007, an investment of 2.45 million yuan completed the second phase, including paving a 1,800-square-meter plaza, a 1,000-square-meter bluestone path, a 900-square-meter interlocking brick parking lot, and constructing the Lianxin Bridge. Indoor exhibitions and cultural relic collection were also completed, with over 300 relics and nearly 500 photos collected. The scenic area was landscaped with various trees such as willows, ginkgo, and large-leaved privet planted around, along with various flowers and plants on the flat land, creating a delightful view.

　　To ensure high-quality exhibition arrangement in the memorial hall, staff from the County Propaganda Department and the County Culture and Tourism Bureau conducted on-site inspections of major memorial halls such as the Military Museum of China and the Revolutionary Memorial Hall of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Border Region. They consulted extensive historical books and materials, interviewed dozens of veterans, veterans of the Liu-Deng Army, and boatmen, and actively gathered information from the public. Eventually, they compiled 268 precious historical photos, 42 historical artifacts, and 17 related documents and drawings. During the preparation of the memorial hall, it received attention and support from leaders at all levels and all sectors of society. Notably, former Vice Chairman [name omitted] personally inscribed the name of the memorial hall, and over 20 inscriptions were contributed by provincial and municipal Party and government leaders such as Xu Guangchun, then Secretary of the Henan Provincial Party Committee, and several generals.

　　The Liu-Deng Army Crossing the Yellow River Memorial Hall is divided into nine exhibition halls. The first hall is the introductory hall, featuring a large mural of the heroic crossing of the Yellow River in the center, with inscriptions on both sides. The second hall displays the strategic situation map, showing the circumstances before the Liu-Deng Army’s crossing. The third hall illustrates the pre-crossing preparations. The fourth hall depicts the actual crossing, showcasing how 120,000 troops of the Liu-Deng Army, centered at Sun Kou and spanning over 300 li from Dong’e in the east to Puxian in the west, bravely crossed the heavily bombed and guarded Yellow River. The fifth hall presents the crossing campaign, illustrating how, after the crossing, the Liu-Deng Army achieved continuous victories on the vast plains of southwestern Shandong—capturing Yuncheng, battling Dingtao, besieging Liuying, and taking Yangshan—annihilating over 56,000 regular troops, then advancing into the Central Plains and marching a thousand li into the Dabie Mountains. The sixth hall showcases the support of the people, highlighting how the people of Taiqian and surrounding areas, tempered by war, united under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, fearlessly joined the army, fought, developed production, and actively supported the front, making tremendous sacrifices and contributions to the Liu-Deng Army’s crossing operation and the liberation of the nation. The seventh hall introduces the revolutionary figures who participated in the crossing. The eighth hall displays the new look of the old revolutionary base. The ninth hall presents the achievements in Yellow River management since the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

　　On June 30, 2007, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the Liu-Deng Army’s crossing of the Yellow River, Taiqian County grandly held the completion ceremony of the Liu-Deng Army Crossing the Yellow River Memorial Hall. Attendees included the Provincial Party Secretary and Director of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People’s Congress Xu Guangchun and other top leaders, Liu Jieqian (daughter of [name omitted]) invited from Beijing, Municipal Party Secretary Wu Lingchen, Mayor Liang Tiehu and other municipal leaders, representatives from Beijing, Shandong, and other regions, as well as over 2,000 local cadres, students, soldiers, and people from all walks of life. The event had a huge social impact, drawing attention from central, provincial, and municipal media, which provided detailed coverage. CCTV’s Xinwen Lianbo aired the news, and People’s Daily and Guangming Daily reported the commemorative conference under the title “Henan Commemorates the 60th Anniversary of the Liu-Deng Army’s Crossing.” Henan Daily covered the event with photos, while Dahe Bao reported it under the title “Learn from the Spirit of the Crossing, Usher in Grand Plans for the Central Plains.” News outlets such as People’s Net, Xinhua Net, CCTV International, China News Service, CNR Net, Sohu Net, Henan News Broadcast, Henan Radio, Dahe Net, and China Investment and Financing Information Platform extensively covered the commemorative conference, the transformation of General’s Crossing, and red tourism. After the June 30th commemorative conference, various townships, units, city departments, and neighboring counties organized cadres and masses to visit and study, receiving revolutionary tradition education. The success of the commemorative activities enhanced Taiqian’s visibility and reputation across the city, province, and nation, introduced Taiqian to the country via the internet, strengthened the cadre team, boosted the cohesion and combat effectiveness of the people, greatly uplifted morale, and injected new vitality into the county’s socioeconomic development.

　　The Jin-Ji-Lu-Yu Field Army Crossing the Yellow River Memorial Site features a monument cluster facing south, consisting of five stone steles. The central one is the main stele, with others arranged on the east, west, front, and rear sides. The eastern front stele is the marker of the Henan Provincial People’s Government, inscribed with “Henan Provincial Key Cultural Relic Protection Site” in the center and “Jin-Ji-Lu-Yu Field Army Crossing the Yellow River Memorial Site” below, and “Announced by the Henan Provincial People’s Government on November 21, 1986” at the bottom. The eastern rear stele is a fundraising stele. The western front stele is an introduction stele briefly describing the army’s crossing, erected by the Taiqian County People’s Government in April 1984. The western rear stele is a large bluestone stele, 3 meters high, 1 meter wide, and 0.4 meters thick. The top is engraved with a five-pointed star symbolizing the national flag, and the base features exquisite bas-relief wave patterns symbolizing the surging Yellow River. The upper right corner of the body is inscribed with “Chinese People’s Liberation Army Jin-Ji-Lu-Yu Field Army,” the center prominently displays “Sun Kou Crossing Site,” and the lower left corner is inscribed with “Erected by the Taiqian County People’s Government in 1981.” The inscription was written by Chen Tianran, chairman of the Henan Calligraphers Association, in powerful strokes. This stele is majestic and solemn.

　　To commemorate history and educate future generations, a main memorial stele was erected in 1997, standing 3.16 meters high, 0.94 meters wide, and 0.3 meters thick. The front (obverse) is inscribed with the title “Liu-Deng Army Crossing the Yellow River Memorial Stele” by Vice Premier [name omitted], accompanied by a hexagonal bluestone pavilion. This pavilion combines traditional Chinese architectural style with modern art, appearing classic and elegant with upturned eaves and soaring momentum, depicting the grand tapestry of revolutionary history.

　　The entire monument cluster is situated on a high brick, stone, and concrete platform, measuring 15 meters long, 8 meters wide, and 1.5 meters high. The base stands atop the 20-meter-high Linhuang Embankment, presenting a magnificent sight from afar.

　　Utilization of General’s Crossing Tourism Resources: During the revolutionary war years, the Taiqian region was part of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Border Region revolutionary base. The people of Taiqian made significant contributions to the liberation of the Chinese people, especially through immense sacrifices in supporting the front lines. Establishing the General’s Crossing Yellow River Scenic Area and the Liu-Deng Army Crossing Memorial Hall provides patriotic and revolutionary tradition education for youth.

　　Since being designated as a provincial-level key cultural relic protection site by the Henan Provincial People’s Government, the Jin-Ji-Lu-Yu Field Army Crossing the Yellow River Memorial Site has attracted a continuous stream of visitors from all walks of life. During holidays, groups of students flock here to honor the revolutionary martyrs’ achievements. Many veterans who once fought on the battlefields also come to reminisce. In 1987, Chief of the General Staff of the PLA [name omitted] inspected the Liu-Deng Army’s Sun Kou Crossing Site. In 1994, former Vice Chairman of the Central Committee and brigade commander who led the crossing, General [name omitted], personally visited the site. During the construction and completion of the Beijing-Kowloon Railway Yellow River Grand Bridge, national leaders including [names omitted], as well as over fifty provincial and ministerial officials, inspected the crossing site. Revolutionary sites continue to inspire future generations. On the centenary of [name omitted]’s birth, experts, scholars, and journalists from the Central Radio, CCTV, Xinhua News Agency, and major newspapers gathered at Sun Kou to explore and report, creating a strong social impact.

　　The General’s Crossing Yellow River Scenic Area is 1,000 meters west of the Beijing-Kowloon Railway Yellow River Grand Bridge and Sun Kou Yellow River Highway Bridge, which connect the north and south, turning a natural barrier into a thoroughfare. It is 2,000 meters north of the Beijing-Kowloon Railway and Puyang-Taiqian Railway Taiqian Station, with a planned wind power station to the east and the Yellow River to the south, offering convenient water and land transportation and a beautiful environment. The integration of historical, cultural, and natural landscapes makes it an ideal base for red tourism and natural-cultural sightseeing. Once completed, the General’s Crossing Yellow River Scenic Area will connect with other red tourism sites, complementing them. To the west are the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Border Region and Military District Memorial Sites in Dan’gou, Qingfeng; to the south are the Heze Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Border Region Revolutionary Memorial Hall, the Yangshan Southwestern Shandong Campaign Memorial Hall, and the Xuzhou Huaihai Campaign Memorial Hall; to the north is the Kong Fansen Memorial Hall. Its completion will generate significant social and economic benefits, driving the rapid development of the revolutionary old base of Taiqian.

　　After years of development and construction, the General’s Crossing Yellow River Scenic Area has been well preserved and utilized. It has been designated as a provincial-level key cultural relic protection site, one of the province’s first patriotic education bases, a red tourism attraction, a moral education base for primary, secondary, and tertiary students, and a quality education base for Taiqian youth. In 2007, it was announced by the Ministry of Water Resources as a National Water Conservancy Scenic Area, becoming a red tourism destination in northern Henan. Hundreds of thousands of tourists and students visit annually to learn about revolutionary history and honor great leaders, serving as an effective patriotic and revolutionary tradition education base with significant social impact.