Former Site of the CPC Anhui East Working Committee · Former Site of the CPC Su-An Provincial Committee 🏯

"Flames of Resistance Illuminate the Heart, Red Embers Shine Across Anhui East"
—— Core command center of the Anhui East Anti-Japanese Base Area and a significant historical witness to local Communist Party organizations

📍 Basic Information

• Official Name: Former Site of the CPC Anhui East Working Committee and Former Site of the CPC Su-An Provincial Committee
• Location: Bai Miao Village, Shi Pei Town, Quanjiao County, Chuzhou City, Anhui Province (formerly part of the Dama Chang area in Quanjiao County)
• Protection Status:
  • ⚖️ Provincial Cultural Heritage Site of Anhui Province (designated in 2012)
  • 🌟 Included in the National List of Red Tourism Classic Scenic Spots (as an extension node of the "Dabie Mountains–Anhui South Red Tourism Zone")
• Opening Status: Free admission with prior reservation required
• Management Authority: Jointly managed by the Quanjiao County Cultural Relics Administration Center and the Quanjiao County Research Office for Party History and Local Chronicles

📜 Historical Evolution: The Strategic Command Hub Amid War

This site served as the central command institution of the Chinese Communist Party’s anti-Japanese struggle in the Anhui East region, bearing dual historical significance:

🔹 CPC Anhui East Working Committee (October 1938 – December 1939)

• In October 1938, following instructions from the Central Committee of the CPC, the Yangtze River Bureau established the Anhui East Working Committee in Dama Chang (now Bai Miao Village, Shi Pei Town, Quanjiao County). Liu Shunyuan served as secretary, overseeing party activities across six counties: Chuzhou, Quanjiao, Lai’an, He County, Han Shan, and Jiangpu.
• The committee used the Hu Clan Ancestral Hall in Bai Miao Village as its headquarters, secretly conducting party member recruitment, mass mobilization, united front work, and intelligence transmission—laying the organizational foundation for the New Fourth Army’s Fourth Brigade advancing into eastern Anhui.

🔹 CPC Su-An Provincial Committee (December 1939 – March 1940)

• In December 1939, the Central China Bureau of the CPC decided to dissolve the Anhui East Working Committee and elevate it to the CPC Su-An Provincial Committee, with Liu Shunyuan as secretary and Fang Yi, Zhang Jingfu, and others as members. Its jurisdiction expanded to include areas such as Liuzhou and Yizheng in Jiangsu Province, and Tianchang and Xuyi in Anhui Province.
• The provincial committee remained headquartered in Bai Miao Village, where multiple critical meetings were held. It formulated the Outline for Building the Anhui East Anti-Japanese Base Area, guided the establishment of two democratic governments—on the east and west sides of the railway—and directly led political mobilization and logistical support ahead of the Battle of Bantai (March 1940).

💡 Historical Significance: This site is one of the few remaining physical witnesses in China to the continuous evolution from a working committee to a provincial committee, and it marks the pivotal decision-making ground where the New Fourth Army transitioned from guerrilla warfare to base area construction in eastern Anhui.

🏛️ Architectural Layout and Cultural Relics

The surviving structures are a group of late Qing Dynasty-style Huizhou residential buildings, restored through archaeological surveys and conservation efforts between 2007 and 2010, forming a “one axis, three courtyards” layout:

| Area | Function & Features | Existing Relics / Exhibits | |------|---------------------|----------------------------| | Main Courtyard (Hu Clan Ancestral Hall) | Original office and meeting space for the Anhui East Working Committee and Su-An Provincial Committee | • Reproduction of the founding document of the CPC Su-An Provincial Committee<br>• Photocopies of handwritten letters by Liu Shunyuan and Fang Yi<br>• Original copy of the first issue of Anhui East Masses (1939), designated as a national Grade I cultural relic, displayed in a permanent showcase | | East Wing (Former Organization Department) | Party registration, cadre training, underground communication station | • Replica of a hand-cranked duplicator (reconstructed based on veterans’ recollections)<br>• Replica of graduation certificates from the “Anhui East Anti-Japanese Youth Training Class” | | West Wing (Former Propaganda Department) | Editorial office of The Truth Newspaper and production site for wartime wall newspapers | • Original woodcut print titled Spring Plowing at Dama Chang (provincial-level cultural relic)<br>• Wooden plaque inscribed “Firebrand Sparks a Prairie Fire” by Fang Yi (donated in 1985) |

✅ Overall Appearance: Blue-brick walls with small tiled roofs and horse-head gables; traditional timber-framed structure with stone-paved courtyard featuring the “Five Blessings Surrounding Longevity” pattern; walls retain multiple concealed compartments and hidden passageways, testifying to the unique conditions of underground operations during that era.

🌟 Cultural Value and Spiritual Essence

• Party History Value: Provides tangible evidence of the strategic shift by the CPC in central China—from independent mountain guerrilla warfare to consolidating base areas and establishing democratic regimes—filling a crucial gap in the physical record of party organization development in the Anhui East region.
• Military Value: Directly linked to three pivotal events: the New Fourth Army’s Fourth Brigade advancing eastward, the self-defense battle at Bantai, and the creation of the eastern railway base area—serving as a key reference point for studying military-political relations in the enemy-occupied zones of central China.
• Humanistic Value: Integrates regional architectural craftsmanship, folk religious spaces (the transformation of ancestral halls), and revolutionary discourse—exemplifying how traditional spaces adapted to carry modern revolutionary missions.
• Educational Value: Designated by the Anhui Provincial Party Committee as one of the first “Hometown Party History Education Bases for Cadres in Anhui Province”, annually receiving over 120,000 visitors for party spirit education programs.

🧭 Traveler’s Practical Guide

🕒 Opening Hours

• Daily: 08:30–11:30 | 14:00–17:00 (Closed on Mondays, except public holidays)
• Reservation: Follow the WeChat official account “Quanjiao Culture & Tourism” → “Red Tourist Site Booking” section (must book in advance 1–3 days)

🚗 Transportation Directions

• By Car: From downtown Chuzhou → Ninglu Expressway (G36) → Quanjiao Exit → S210 Provincial Road → Shi Pei Town → Bai Miao Village (approx. 45 minutes; search “Former Site of the CPC Su-An Provincial Committee” on navigation apps)
• By Bus: Take the inter-town bus “Chuzhou–Shi Pei” from Chuzhou North Station (departures: 07:00, 09:30, 13:30, 15:30), alight at Shi Pei Town, then transfer to local shuttle buses (about 5 km) or ride shared electric bicycles (parking available at village entrance)

🍽️ Nearby Attractions & Experiences

• Recommended Red Tourism Route:
  Site → Monument to the Battle of Bantai (National Martyrs Memorial Facility) → Former Headquarters of the Second Division of the New Fourth Army (Xuyi) → Former Headquarters of the Third Division of the New Fourth Army (Wuhu)
• Cultural Experiences:
  • Bai Miao Village’s intangible cultural heritage workshop offers hands-on experience with “Anhui East Paper-Cutting: Red Memories” themed art
  • Springtime visitors can join immersive “Retrace the Eastern Advance” educational tours (requires team booking)

📸 Tips for Visitors

• Flash photography is prohibited inside exhibition cabinets;
• Audio guide QR codes are available throughout all exhibition rooms (offering both Mandarin and local Anhui dialect options);
• Free luggage storage is provided—recommended to visit light and unencumbered.

🌾 Closing Note: Silent bricks bear the weight of faith; ancient halls stand firm, keeping the flame alive. This place is more than mere remnants of brick and wood—it is a living repository of red genes across the Jianghuai region. Each pause here is a reflection upon and measurement of our original aspirations.