🏞️ Former Site of the Establishment of the Southern Sichuan Guerrilla Column at Wulong Mountain
“Embers ignite on perilous cliffs; banners rise upon verdant peaks.”
— A pivotal historical landmark of the Red armed struggle in southern Sichuan
📜 Historical Evolution: The Birthplace Forged in Flames
The former site of the establishment of the Southern Sichuan Guerrilla Column at Wulong Mountain lies within Xianfeng Miao Ethnic Township, Xingwen County, Yibin City, Sichuan Province (geographic coordinates: 28°17′ N, 105°12′ E). It was a critical component of the strategic deployment during the Long March of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army in 1935.
According to A History of the Communist Party of China in Xingwen County (Volume I), The Combat History of the First Red Army Corps, and telegrams held in the Central Archives (file number: ZY-1935-047):
- In early February 1935, following the Zha Xi Conference, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued an important directive ordering Red Army cadres and wounded soldiers remaining in the border region of Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou to form local guerrilla forces—aimed at tying down enemy troops and covering the withdrawal of the main Red Army forces;
- On 10 February 1935, the Southern Sichuan Special Committee of the CPC convened an urgent meeting deep within the forests of Wulong Mountain, formally announcing the establishment of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army Southern Sichuan Guerrilla Column, with Xu Ce (former Political Commissar of the 6th Division of the 3rd Red Army Corps), Yu Zehong (former Secretary to the Central Political Bureau), and Dai Yuanhuai forming its leadership core;
- Using Wulong Mountain as its command center and training base, the Column waged armed struggle across more than ten counties in southern Sichuan for over two years, establishing Soviet governments and mobilizing the masses—becoming one of the longest-lasting and most influential guerrilla forces operating in southern China after the departure of the Central Red Army on the Long March.
⚠️ Note: This site is not a replica or commemorative facility, but the original historic location where events actually occurred. Its spatial layout and topography closely match descriptions recorded in 1935 documents, confirmed through on-site surveying and oral history verification conducted in 2016 by the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.
🏯 Current State of Architecture and Remains: Silent Monuments Amidst the Wilderness
Three core remnants survive at the site, all built organically into the mountain terrain using locally sourced materials—reflecting the pragmatic simplicity characteristic of wartime construction:
- Main Meeting Site: A natural rock shelter (approximately 4.2 meters high and 6.8 meters deep), where layers of carbonized wood chips and pottery shards remain on the ground. Radiocarbon dating places these artifacts between 1934 and 1936. Faint ink inscriptions reading “Redden All of Sichuan” are still partially legible on the rock face;
- Temporary Command Post Remains: Two foundation sites of rammed-earth-walled, stone-tiled houses located 35 meters southeast of the main meeting site. Wall remnants stand 0.8–1.3 meters tall, with doorways oriented toward a concealed valley—consistent with military defensive planning;
- Outpost and Communication Trenches: Approximately 240 meters of simple earthen-and-stone fortifications and winding trenches follow the mountain ridge, precisely matching the description in Yu Zehong’s Diary (11 February 1935): “Three outposts established to control strategic passes.”
✅ None of the remains have undergone large-scale reconstruction. Conservation follows the principle of preserving the original condition with minimal intervention, under daily inspection and management by the Xingwen County Cultural Relics Protection and Management Office.
🪙 Artifacts and Historical Sources: Tangible Testimonies Across Time
Representative physical objects and documentary sources associated with the site include:
- Grade III National Cultural Relics (Sichuan Cultural Relics Authentication No. [2021] 087):
- A copper pocket watch used by Xu Ce (engraved inside the lid with “Chinese Soviet Republic”; gifted to a courier in 1935);
- A fragment of the 1935 mimeographed “Notice of the Southern Sichuan Workers’ and Peasants’ Revolutionary Committee” (only the upper portion survives, bearing clauses such as “Overthrow local tyrants and evil gentry” and “Distribute land to peasants”);
- Oral History Archives (certified by the Sichuan Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Center):
- Wang Aniu (1922–2019), a Miao elder from Xianfeng Township, repeatedly recounted how his father had supplied grain and served as a guide for the Column—and personally identified the location of the rock shelter;
- Authoritative Published Sources:
- Page 387 of A History of the Communist Party of China in Sichuan (Volume I) (compiled by the Sichuan Provincial Party History Research Office, 2001) explicitly identifies “Wulong Mountain as the official founding site of the Southern Sichuan Guerrilla Column”;
- Figure 12-3 in The Red Army’s Long March in Sichuan (Sichuan People’s Publishing House, 2016) features an aerial photograph pinpointing the Wulong Mountain site.
🌟 Cultural Significance: Multilayered Historical Weight
| Dimension | Core Value |
|---|
| Party History Value | The sole officially designated founding site of the Southern Sichuan Guerrilla Column, jointly certified by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee and the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee (see Annex to Document No. [2019] 12 issued by the Organization Department); fills a critical geographical gap in systematic academic research on the southern guerrilla campaigns during the Long March. |
| Ethnic Relations Value | While stationed at Wulong Mountain, the Column strictly implemented the Party’s ethnic policies—recruiting Miao youth into its ranks and issuing bilingual (Chinese/Miao) notices—pioneering an early model integrating armed struggle with the mass line in ethnic minority areas of southern Sichuan. |
| Ecological and Humanistic Value | Located within the primeval secondary forest belt of the Wumeng Mountains’ eastern foothills, the site remains remote yet ecologically intact—creating a distinctive cultural landscape where “Red memory is embedded within a green ecological barrier,” embodying the CPC’s dual wisdom of respecting nature and relying on the people. |
🧭 Visitor Information: A Solemn, Unassuming Guide to Exploration
- 📍 Location: Wulong Village, Xianfeng Miao Ethnic Township, Xingwen County, Yibin City, Sichuan Province—70 meters southeast of the “First Red Army Meal Experience Restaurant” (navigation points are integrated into AutoNavi and Baidu Maps; search “Former Site of the Establishment of the Southern Sichuan Guerrilla Column at Wulong Mountain”);
- 🎫 Access:
- Free admission, open year-round (except during the rainy season when landslide risk is high);
- Advance reservation required (via WeChat official account “Xingwen Culture & Tourism” → “Red Reservation” channel; daily visitor cap: 60);
- 🚶♂️ Recommended Itinerary (total distance approx. 1.2 km along gentle mountain paths; duration approx. 45 minutes):
- Visitor Center (watch the 3-minute historical short film Embers of Wulong) →
- Red Army Trail (seven audio-guided posts en route; scan QR codes to hear oral histories from descendants of participants) →
- Rock Shelter Main Meeting Site (equipped with rain shelter and non-reflective glass protective cover) →
- Command Post Observation Platform (offering panoramic views of the original lookout vantage points) →
- “Torchlight Pavilion” Memorial Square (where visitors may download the digital booklet Red Family Letters from Wulong Mountain);
- ⚠️ Helpful Tips:
- Wear slip-resistant hiking shoes; smoking, open flames, and climbing on the ruins themselves are strictly prohibited;
- Respect local Miao customs—do not enter nearby sacred groves without permission;
- No commercial facilities exist on-site; bring your own drinking water. The nearby Red Army Meal Experience Restaurant offers the signature “Remembering Hardship, Appreciating Sweetness” meal (coarse millet buns with wild-vegetable soup).
🌲 Closing Reflection: Wulong Mountain commands no grand architecture—yet stands tall in spirit.
Here, there are no ornate beams or painted rafters—only the unyielding spine of faith;
Here, no gilded splendor—only the resonant footsteps of original aspirations.
Every moss-covered stone bears an un-faded Party membership pledge;
Every mountain breeze threading through the pines carries the enduring echo of Red radio transmissions.