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Qiliping Town


Updated: 2011-11-28

Qiliping Town

Hong'an Qiliping town was the birthplace of the Fourth Red Army, one of the three main forces of Chinese Red Army.

Hong’an, originally known as Huang’an, is located in the southern slope of Dabie Mountains, at the border of Hubei and Henan provinces. Hong’an Qiliping town was the source of the famous Huangma Uprising; it was the birthplace of the Fourth Red Army, one of the three main forces of Chinese Red Army; the center of the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Revolutionary Base, the second largest in the country, after Jinggang Mountain; and it was named 'China’s Lenin City'.

Seventy-eight years ago, a group of young Communist Party members led local peasants and workers to unleash an armed revolution, historically known as the Huangma Uprising. They took Hong’an as the center to set up the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Soviet red regime. During the war, 140,000 Hong’an men and women dedicated their lives. On the blood-stained land there emerged two presidents of the People’s Republic, Dong Biwu and Li Xiannian. The place also cultivated 223 generals, including Han Xianchu and Qin Jiwei. Hong’an Qiliping was an important revolutionary base during the Second Revolutionary Civil War (1924-1927).

In 1924, a Communist Party organ was established in Hong’an. In November 1927, the Chinese Communist Party Huang’an Macheng Special Committee led the famous Huangma Uprising, in accordance with the August 7 Meeting Spirit of the Party Central Committee. The uprising troops were mobilized at Qiliping. After a fierce battle, they occupied the Huang’an county seat, established the Huang’an county peasant revolutionary regime, and set up the East Hubei forces of Chinese Worker and Peasant Revolutionary Army.

Qiliping Town
Changsheng Street

In 1929, the Hubei-Henan revolutionary base was formed. Qiliping served as the center of the base. In 1930, Qiliping was renamed Lenin City. During the autumn of that year, the first congress of worker, peasant and soldier representatives of the Hubei-Henan revolutionary base was held in Qiliping. They elected members for the Soviet government. In November 1931, the Fourth Front Army of the Chinese Workers and Peasants Red Army was established in Qiliping. Xu Xiangqian was the chief command and Chen Changhao was the political commissar.

The Hong’an Qiliping revolutionary site is well preserved. The area has over 40 former revolutionary sites still intact. These include the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Special Zone Soviet office, revolutionary courts, labor union offices, banks, Huangma Uprising meeting rooms, Chinese Communist Party Huang’an county station, Red Army economic commune and Lenin primary school. A monument was founded at the rear hill of Qiliping town bearing the inscription of Dong Biwu: “Long Live Revolutionary Martyrs”.

Rural scenes:

Tiantai Mountain - Duitian River Drift

Qiliping town is home to the picturesque Tiantai Mountain scenic spot. The summit of Tiantai Mountain is 817 meters. The mountain is known for its steep cliffs. It is only accessible via a stone path chiseled in 1092 during the Northern Song Dynasty. There are 10 different scenes along the path.

Qiliping Town
Tiantai Mountain is known for its steep cliffs.

The temples on the mountain are largely ruined but the 10 Tiantai Mountain scenes and multiple cliff inscriptions remain intact. Tiantai Mountain preserves profound cultural traditions and many scholars are inspired to write poems and draw pictures of the sight.

In the Tiantai Mountain National Forest Park, there is a 5.8km river, known as Duitian River. It winds in the depth of the woods and gorges. The riverbed is paved with rare blue flagstones. The upstream and downstream falls 143 meters. The Duitian River scenic spot has deep valleys, many beaches and surging waves.

The river is lined with rare rocks, sharp cliffs, tall trees, and high waterfalls, offering an ideal place to drift along the amazing landscape. Going on board a rubber boat and sailing along the surging stream, visitors will surf on energetic waves through dangerous shoals while enjoying the scenes of jumbled vines, rare rocks, high waterfalls, and mountain flowers in full bloom. The drift takes about two and a half hours.

Qiliping Town
Drifting along the Duitian River