Wu-Chu Strategic Pass

It was one of the Red Revolutionary Bases in southern Jiangxi and is designated as a County-level Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit. The pass is situated south of Tiannan Village, Sanbanqiao Township, Lianhua County, Jiangxi Province, 18 kilometres from the county seat and directly reachable via National Highway 319.

Wu and Chu were the ancient names for Hunan and Jiangxi provinces. Standing right on the provincial boundary, the pass was originally called the Jietouling Mountain Pass, the dividing line between ancient Wu and Chu. Due to a nearby City God Temple, it was also known as City God Boundary. From ancient times, it served as a vital transportation artery and a strategic military stronghold between Wu and Chu.

In the second year of the Shaoxing reign of the Song Dynasty (1132), General Yue Fei passed through this pass with his troops when he was ordered to campaign against Cao Cheng in Chaling. In the second year of the Chunxi reign (1175), Xin Qiji, Military Governor of Jiangxi, stationed his troops here while suppressing Lai Wenzheng in Chaling. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Xianzhong’s army seized the pass to march into Jiangxi.

In the fifth year of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1855), the Taiping Army fought repeatedly for control of this pass to march into Yongxin and the subprefectural city. In 1856, Zhao Huanlian, military supervisor from Hunan, stationed troops here. He dug trenches and built fortifications on the ridge and officially named the stronghold Wu-Chu Strategic Pass.

On April 29, 1933, Chen Guangzhong’s 63rd Division of the Hunan Kuomintang army invaded and occupied the county seat. Following orders from the central revolutionary government, the 8th Red Army set out to annihilate the enemy troops from Hunan.

On May 29, He Jian led four infantry battalions and one cavalry company out of Chaling, Hunan. They escorted grain and military supplies for Chen Guangzhong’s 63rd Division and took a detour via City God Boundary toward the county seat. Having got the intelligence, the 8th Red Army laid an ambush at Tangshi on the Hunan-Jiangxi border. The Red Guard Company fought bravely in coordination with the main force. The Kuomintang troops suffered a crushing defeat and fled, abandoning their weapons. This battle was recorded in history as the Great Victory at Tangshi and the Battle of Jiuduchong.

The site was listed as a county-level cultural relic protection unit in 1984.