Former Site Exhibition Hall of the New Fourth Army Second Division Xian Dun Temple Armory 🏯

"Where iron bones forge swords, and fire refines sharp edges"
—— A pivotal landmark in the history of anti-Japanese war industry behind enemy lines in central China

📍 Basic Information

• Official Name: Exhibition Hall of the Former Site of the New Fourth Army Second Division Xian Dun Temple Armory
• Location: Gaomiao Industrial Town, Outang Town, Dingyuan County, Chuzhou City, Anhui Province (formerly part of Gaomiao Township, Dingyuan County, now within Outang Town’s administrative jurisdiction)
• Geographic Coordinates: 32°28′ N, 117°46′ E, situated on the northern slope of the Huai River-Yangtze River Watershed Ridge, surrounded by mountains and lush forests, offering both concealment and strategic depth
• Opening Status: Free admission (reservation required); jointly managed by the Dingyuan County Cultural Relics Administration and the New Fourth Army Second Division Memorial Hall
• Protection Level:
  • National Key Cultural Heritage Site (designated October 2019 by the State Council, included in the expanded project “Former Sites of the New Fourth Army Headquarters and the Central Committee of the CPC Central China Bureau”)
  • Anhui Provincial Patriotic Education Base, Anhui Provincial Defense Education Base

⚔️ Historical Evolution: The "Cradle of Red Armory" Amid War Flames

The Xian Dun Temple Armory was established in autumn 1941, a comprehensive rear-base armory independently created by the Second Division of the New Fourth Army under extremely harsh conditions. It was personally selected by Division Commander Luo Binghui and organized by Political Commissar Tan Zhenlin, with technical personnel primarily drawn from progressive craftsmen and underground party members in Shanghai and Nanjing.

• Core Mission: To break through Japanese and puppet forces’ blockades by achieving self-repair of firearms, self-manufacture of ammunition, and self-production of spare parts, ensuring operational needs for the Second Division’s main units (including the 4th, 5th, and 6th Brigades) and local armed forces.
• Peak Period (1942–1944):
  • Divided into five functional zones: Repair Workshop, Bullet Factory, Hand Grenade Factory, Explosives Research Room, and Sand Casting Workshop;
  • Annual output exceeded 300,000 reloaded bullets, over 20,000 hand grenades, and repaired more than a thousand rifles and light machine guns;
  • Successfully developed the “Second Division Type” grenade launcher and an improved pull-type fuse, whose technological achievements were later adopted across the Huainan and Huabei base areas.
• Historical Turning Point: After Japan’s surrender in August 1945, the entire armory relocated to Xuyi. Some equipment and personnel were integrated into the East China Military Region’s Armament Department. The Xian Dun Temple site was repurposed as a local farm tool repair station until its historical significance was rediscovered in the 1980s.

🔍 Historical Evidence:

• Detailed records of the factory’s structure and contributions appear in History of the Second Division of the New Fourth Army, History of the Huainan Anti-Japanese Base Area, and Dingyuan County Annals (1990 Edition);
• Archaeological surveys conducted in 2015 confirmed the presence of subterranean ammunition storage foundations built of blue bricks, remnants of charcoal kilns, and sections of rammed-earth workshop walls;
• A surviving 1943 handwritten copy of the Armory Safety Regulations (a national-level revolutionary cultural relic, displayed in a special exhibit case at the hall).

🏛️ Architectural Layout: Ancient Temple Reborn, Red and Green Harmonized

The exhibition hall is reconstructed from the Qing Dynasty Xian Dun Temple architectural complex, strictly adhering to the principle of "restoration in original style, minimal intervention":

| Area | Architectural Features and Functions | Exhibits & Highlights | |------|----------------------------------------|------------------------| | Sacred Gate Hall | Rebuilt during the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty, with a hard-roof tiled roof; the stone tablet above the gate reads “Xian Dun Ancient Temple” (inscribed in 1892) | Reproduction of the 1941 founding ceremony scene via relief sculpture 🪵 | | Mahavira Hall | Main exhibition hall, five bays wide, retaining Qing mid-period painted beam patterns | Central display: holographic sand table showcasing the “Ten Major Inventions of the Second Division Armory” 🌐 | | East Wing Hall | Former monk quarters converted into a “Reconstructed Ammunition Research Room,” featuring operable replicas of bullet-packing machines, presses, and hand-crank drills | Original 1943 “7.9mm” bullet set (complete with bullet head, casing, and primer)🎯 | | West Wing Hall | Special exhibition on “Hero Craftsmen,” presenting biographies and personal manuscripts of 12 technicians who died in service, including Wang Xuwen and Li Guangtian | Wooden mold for a hand grenade designed by Li Guangtian (National Grade II Cultural Relic)🪵 | | Rear Courtyard Ruins Zone | Preserves intact entrance to the underground ammunition bunker, remnants of charcoal kilns, and forging anvils; glass walkways enable immersive archaeological viewing | Laser-lit map indicating the 1942 underground passage layout 🗺️ |

🌿 Environmental Features:

• Native wild tung trees historically used for nitric acid production are being replanted around the site, along with signage marking former saltpeter mining areas;
• The entrance path features 24 copper-plated bullet casings embedded in the ground, each engraved with annual production figures.

📜 Core Artifacts and Exhibition System

The museum houses 327 revolutionary cultural relics (sets), including 4 national first-class relics and 19 second-class relics:

• Crown Jewels of the Collection:

  • ✦ Original ink manuscript of Luo Binghui’s approval letter for armory expansion (1942, paper-based, national first-class relic);
  • ✦ Complete set of the 1943 self-made “Second Division Type” grenade launcher (including launch tube, sighting device, and dedicated shells—only complete set preserved nationwide);
  • ✦ Mold for “Huainan-made” detonator safety pin (bronze, with inscribed “Second Division Armory” characters, national first-class relic).

• Featured Exhibits:

  • 🎧 “Hear the Voice of Armory” Oral History Audio Wall: Features firsthand accounts from 12 surviving veteran workers (average age 96) detailing processes of forging, loading, and quality inspection;
  • 🖥️ AR Interactive System: Scan QR codes to trigger dynamic simulations of a 1943 hand grenade assembly line;
  • 📜 Special Collections Room (by appointment only): Displays a hand-copied version of Huainan Armory Technical Manual (1944 edition) and photocopies of Japanese intelligence reports on the Huainan base area’s armory operations.

🌟 Cultural Value and Contemporary Significance

• Historical Dimension:

  A crucial testament to how the Communist Party of China independently established and strengthened an industrial system behind enemy lines—from nothing to strength—proving the strategic truth that “no armed force means no base area.”

• Technological Dimension:

  In circumstances lacking blueprints, raw materials, and facing encirclement, it pioneered an innovative model of “using makeshift methods, adapting to simplicity, and continuous iteration,” embodying the embryonic form of China’s early industrial self-reliance spirit.

• Spiritual Dimension:

  The ethos of “one bullet, one drop of sweat; one grenade, one breath of courage” resonates with the “Iron Army Spirit” and “Dabie Mountain Spirit,” forming a vital branch of today’s red gene pool.

• Contemporary Transformation:

  As the core driver of the Gaomiao Armory Town, it integrates with surrounding attractions such as “armory-themed homestays,” “Wutong Ecological Study Base,” and the former battlefield hospital site of Luo Binghui, creating a three-dimensional integration zone of “red education + green wellness + military-industrial study.”

🚶‍♂️ Traveler’s Practical Guide

| Item | Details | |------|--------| | Opening Hours | Tuesday to Sunday: 9:00–17:00 (last entry at 16:30), closed Mondays (except public holidays) | | Reservation Method | Follow the WeChat official account “Dingyuan Culture & Tourism” → “Red Venue Booking” → select this venue (must book 1–3 days in advance) | | Transportation Guidance | ▪ By high-speed rail: Get off at Dingyuan Station, transfer to the Dingyuan–Outang shuttle bus (final stop: “Gaomiao Armory Town,” journey time ~45 minutes)<br>▪ By car: Exit G36 Ningluo Expressway at “Dingyuan South,” take X020 County Road to Gaomiao Armory Town (total distance ~12 km, well-marked signs) | | Guided Services | ▪ Free guided tours (4 sessions daily: 9:30, 10:30, 14:00, 15:00)<br>▪ Smart audio guide rental (20 RMB per unit, includes bilingual Chinese-English narration) | | Facilities | ▪ Red Reading Room (featuring dedicated shelves on armory history)📚<br>▪ “Craftsmanship of the Armory” Cultural & Creative Store (offering bullet-case bookmarks, tung oil soap, hand-drawn armory postcards)🎨<br>▪ Fully accessible with wheelchair rentals and braille exhibit labels | | Visitor Tips | ▪ Wear dark-colored clothing (some exhibition areas require dim lighting)<br>▪ Flash photography prohibited in the ammunition bunker ruins zone<br>▪ Respect history—do not touch artifacts inside display cases |

🌟 Recommended Deep Experience Itinerary (3 hours):
Sacred Gate Oath → Mahavira Hall Main Exhibition → East Wing Interactive Workshop → Rear Courtyard Ruins Exploration → Walk Along Armory Path → Rest at Red Reading Room → Customize Souvenirs at Creative Shop

This content is compiled based on the official record archive of the National Key Cultural Heritage Site “Former Site of the New Fourth Army Second Division Xian Dun Temple Armory” (State Administration of Cultural Heritage Registration No.: WWJ-ANH-2019-027), the 2023 updated exhibition outline from the Dingyuan County Cultural Relics Administration, and field research data. All information is historically accurate and rigorously presented.