Qiupan Mountain Guerrilla Base

It was one of the revolutionary base areas of the former Hunan-Jiangxi Soviet Region. Today it is designated as a county-level key cultural relic protection unit and a patriotic education base.

The base is located 4.5 kilometres northwest of Shenquan Township, Lianhua County, Jiangxi Province, and 15 kilometres from the county seat. Visitors may take National Highway 319 and then turn onto rural roads to reach the site directly. The mountain peak stands 886 metres above sea level with well-preserved vegetation. Chinese firs, bamboo and other forests cover an area of 660.7 hectares, forming a natural green barrier.

On June 12, 1935, Chen Hongshi, former Secretary of the CPC Hunan-Jiangxi Provincial Committee, defected to the Kuomintang in Pingxiang. He guided enemy troops to launch mopping-up operations and mountain searches, which severely damaged Party organizations and led to the sacrifice of numerous revolutionary fighters. Coupled with an acute shortage of ammunition, grain and clothing, the armed struggle along the Hunan-Jiangxi border fell into an extremely difficult situation.

At this critical moment, Tan Yubao, former leading official of the Hunan-Jiangxi Provincial Soviet Government, stepped forward. In early July, he presided over an important military meeting on Qiupan Mountain. The meeting condemned the betrayal of Chen Hongshi, Liu Fayun and others, analysed the revolutionary situation on the border, and formulated the strategic principle of preserving strength, expanding steadily and waiting for opportunities.

The participants decided to dissolve the original Hunan-Jiangxi Provincial Soviet Government and Military District. They re-established the Provisional CPC Hunan-Jiangxi Provincial Committee, the Military and Political Commission, and the Headquarters of the Hunan-Jiangxi Guerrilla Detachment. The meeting elected Tan Yubao, Zeng Kaifu, Tan Tangchi, Yan Fuhua, Duan Huanjing, Wang Yongji, Zhou Jie and Chen Zhenyuan as members of the Standing Committee. Tan Yubao was appointed Secretary of the Provisional Provincial Committee, Chairman of the Military and Political Commission, and Political Commissar of the Guerrilla Detachment Headquarters. Zeng Kaifu took the post of Detachment Commander, and Duan Huanjing served as Chief of Staff. The troops were organized into three battalions.

Relying on the complicated mountain terrain of Qiupan Mountain, the Hunan-Jiangxi guerrillas waged arduous guerrilla warfare against the Kuomintang troops, keeping the revolutionary flame alive in the Hunan-Jiangxi Soviet Region. This meeting marked a life-or-death turning point in the three-year guerrilla war along the Hunan-Jiangxi border.

In 1936, entrusted by the Central Committee, Chen Yi travelled from Ji’an to Yongxin and nearby areas to contact the Hunan-Jiangxi guerrillas and negotiate their reorganization. In November 1937, more than 300 guerrilla fighters assembled in Longshang Village for reorganization. During the process, leaders including Chen Yi, Xiang Ying and Zeng Shan visited the guerrilla instructors, encouraging them to carry forward fighting traditions and win new victories in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

In February 1938, the reorganized troops set off from Qiupan Mountain and marched to Kaihua in Zhejiang Province. They were reorganized into the 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment, 1st Detachment of the New Fourth Army and joined the nationwide resistance against Japanese invasion.

In addition to its revolutionary heritage, Qiupan Mountain boasts unique natural scenery and primeval ecosystems, with clusters of waterfalls and towering ancient trees. The scenic area perfectly integrates red revolutionary culture and natural landscapes.