Yang Angong Martyrs' Cemetery

　　Yang Angong Martyrs' Cemetery is a national 4A-level tourist attraction, a key national protected martyrs' memorial building, a national patriotic education base, and a Chongqing youth education base. The cemetery was built in 1987, with the name inscribed by Deng Xiaoping himself. In June 2010, Yang Angong Martyrs' Cemetery underwent a major expansion and renovation, with the planning, design, and construction plans overseen by Professor Qi Kang, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and an architecture expert. The area expanded from 12.5 mu to 50 mu, and the functions are divided into four levels from bottom to top: the entrance rest area, the cemetery memorial area, the exhibition and office area, and the forest park area.

　　The Tomb

　　Here lie the tombs of martyr Yang Angong and his wife Zhao Zongkai, as well as the tomb cluster of 32 martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Tongnan. The Western-style tomb in the middle is Yang Angong’s. His remains were relocated three times in history: the first time was on April 6, 1927, after his death, when his body was temporarily placed at Xiangguo Temple in Jiangbei, Chongqing; the second time was in 1938, when his father, Yang Huaiqing, transported his remains by boat from Xiangguo Temple in Jiangbei back to Shuangjiang for burial; the third time was in 1987, when his remains were moved to Jianzishan in Tongnan during the construction of the cemetery. In 2010, during the expansion, out of respect for the traditional Chinese belief that the dead should rest in peace, the tomb itself was not moved, only maintained. The inscription on the tomb was personally written by Zhu De in 1957.

　　Behind the tomb is the memorial wall, which is 29.4 meters long and 5.4 meters wide. The golden characters “Yang Angong Martyr Lives Forever” were inscribed by Deng Xiaoping in March 1987. The top of the wall is engraved with wreath patterns and a design of the sun and moon shining together, symbolizing Yang Angong’s noble spirit, whose revolutionary ideals shine alongside the sun, moon, and eternity. The bottom of the wall features three stone-carved wreaths, expressing people's deep sorrow and remembrance for the martyr.

　　Blood-Cast Monument

　　The bronze relief depicting Yang Angong’s life is 12 meters long and 4 meters wide, showing the scene of Yang Angong leading the people of Chongqing in a protest against the British and American shelling of Nanjing and in support of the Northern Expedition on March 31, 1927. At the center of the relief is an image of Yang Angong just before his heroic martyrdom at Futa Pass in Chongqing on April 6 of the same year. On March 31, 1927, Yang Angong led the people of Chongqing in a mass meeting at Dajiangba to protest the British and American shelling of Nanjing and to support the Northern Expedition. At that time, reactionaries including Liu Xiang, in collusion with Chiang Kai-shek, orchestrated the shocking “March 31st Massacre.” With the help of friends, Yang Angong escaped over Tongyuan Gate, rested for two days, and then, eager to report the “March 31st Incident” to the Party Central Committee in Wuhan and attend the Fifth National Congress of the Communist Party, he and his wife Zhao Zongkai took a ship from Chaotianmen Wharf in Chongqing to Wuhan. They were betrayed by a traitor on board the oil tanker “Yadong” and were arrested. After being captured, Yang Angong was detained at the warlord Lan Wenbin’s headquarters at Futa Pass in Chongqing. There, the reactionaries interrogated him relentlessly, using both soft and hard tactics, but Yang Angong remained resolute and unshaken. Upon receiving secret orders from Chiang Kai-shek, on the evening of April 6, they took Yang Angong to the edge of a cliff at Futa Pass to execute him secretly. However, Yang Angong shouted defiantly, “Down with imperialism!” “Down with the rotten warlords!” “Long live the Communist Party of China!” “You can cut off my head, but you can never shake my faith. In short, my head may be severed, but my will cannot be taken!” His words terrified the executioners, who brutally cut out his tongue, gouged out his eyes, and severed his hands. Finally, Yang Angong was shot three times and died a heroic death at the age of 29. The surging Yangtze River behind the martyr symbolizes the enduring spirit of the martyr and the everlasting revolutionary ideals, as well as the deep bond between Chongqing and the Yangtze River. The rugged rocks beneath the martyr’s feet symbolize the hardships and dangers on the revolutionary path, which the hero fearlessly overcame with indomitable revolutionary spirit. Yang Angong wrote his life motto in blood and sacrifice: “Life is like an iron horse shoe, worn down only when it is completely ground away.”

　　The Sacred Path

　　The sacred path is 75 meters long and 6 meters wide, lined with 331 arborvitae trees on both sides. The number 331 represents the “March 31st Massacre” in Chongqing, and the trees also form two thick green walls, creating a solemn and respectful atmosphere throughout the cemetery.

　　Statue Square

　　The statue square covers an area of 2,400 square meters. In the center stands a statue of Yang Angong, carved from red granite (designed primarily by Professor Long Dehui from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute), standing 8 meters tall, with the statue itself being 5 meters high and the base 3 meters high. The statue depicts Yang Angong in a long robe and scarf, lifelike, with piercing eyes, as if bringing to life his glorious image of striving for the nation’s future and shouting for the people’s welfare. Behind the statue is a reflecting pool, where the statue’s reflection in the water enhances the solemn and tranquil atmosphere. Flanking the statue square are exhibition corridors, with the left side displaying a brief biography of martyr Yang Angong and the right side showcasing inscriptions by notable figures.

　　Yang Angong (1898～1927)　　Yang Angong, whose original name was Shangshu, also known as Angong and Kun, was born on February 18, 1898 (the 24th year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty, March 10, 1898), in Shuangjiang Town, Suining County, Sichuan Province (which was transferred from Suining County to the newly established Tongnan County during the Republic of China). Yang Angong’s father, Yang Huaiqing, was well-versed in classical studies and had strong patriotic ideals. Yang Angong’s eldest brother, Yang Jianqiu, graduated from Japan’s Central University and joined the revolution, becoming a member of the Tongmenghui while in Japan. His second brother, Yang Hengshi, was also influenced by progressive ideas and went to Chengdu to study at a railway school. His cousin, Yang Baomin, joined the Tongmenghui in 1906 and participated in the Huanghuagang Uprising. These young individuals actively engaged in revolutionary activities often discussed grand visions for the world... More+