🏛️ Gulian County Red Army Long March Museum of the Four Crossings of the Chishui River

"Four crossings of the Chishui River, a masterstroke in warfare—so skillful, it seems divine."
—— The very place commemorated in Mao Zedong’s poem Seven-Character Regulated Verse on the Long March, a testament to the pinnacle of revolutionary military command in Chinese history.

📍 Basic Information

• Full Name: Gulian County Red Army Long March Museum of the Four Crossings of the Chishui River (National Grade III Museum)
• Address: West side of Taiping Ancient Town, Taiping Town, Gulian County, Luzhou City, Sichuan Province (adjacent to the Chishui River, directly opposite the Taiping Ferry Site across the street)
• Opening Hours: 9:00–17:00, Tuesday through Sunday (last entry at 16:30); closed Mondays (except public holidays)
• Admission Policy: Free admission; visitors must reserve in advance with valid identification (via the “Sichuan Culture & Tourism Pass” mini-program or on-site QR code registration)
• Contact Number: 0830–7201156 (Public Education Division, Gulian County Bureau of Culture, Radio, Film, and Tourism)

⏳ Historical Origins: A Red Hub by the Chishui River

• Strategic Significance: After the Zunyi Conference in January 1935, under the leadership of Mao Zedong and others, the Central Red Army conducted four crossings of the Chishui River between January 29 and March 22, 1935, in the border region of Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou. Of these, the second and fourth crossings took place at the Taiping Ferry in Gulian County, making Taiping Town one of the longest-lasting, most densely deployed, and richest in historical relics key ferry sites during the Four Crossings campaign.
• Museum Development Timeline:
  • 1975: The Taiping Ferry Red Army Memorial Hall was initially established, becoming one of the earliest specialized memorial venues dedicated to the Four Crossings of the Chishui River nationwide;
  • 2007: Approved by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage for expansion and upgrading on the original site;
  • 2015 (80th anniversary of the victory in the Four Crossings): Officially renamed the "Gulian County Red Army Long March Museum of the Four Crossings of the Chishui River," completing comprehensive exhibition enhancements;
  • In 2021, selected as a National Base for Patriotic Education; in 2023, included in the core display zone of the Long March National Cultural Park in Sichuan Province.

🏯 Architectural Features: Organic Fusion of Southern Sichuan Folk Architecture and Red Narrative

• Site Selection Philosophy: Built following the natural terrain, facing east with its back to Yingpan Mountain and fronting the Chishui River, preserving the traditional layout of the ancient town and harmonizing seamlessly with the national historic and cultural town status of Taiping.
• Architectural Style:
  • Main structures are an authentic Qing Dynasty-style wooden framework complex typical of southern Sichuan, featuring blue-tiled roofs, white walls, carved window lattices, stone steps, and sky wells, reflecting regional cultural heritage;
  • New exhibition halls employ modern display technologies, using glass curtain walls to admit natural light, achieving a balance between historical depth and spatial transparency;
  • The front plaza features a thematic relief wall titled “Four Crossings of the Chishui River” (36 meters long, 3.2 meters high), realistically depicting classic scenes such as Red Army river crossings, civilian support efforts, and military-civilian celebrations.

🏺 Core Exhibitions: A Thousand Artifacts Tell an Eternal Epic

The museum’s permanent exhibition, “The Victory Vessel on the Banks of the Chishui River – Special Exhibition on the Four Crossings of the Chishui Campaign,” is divided into five thematic sections, showcasing 1,286 artifacts and historical materials (including 9 nationally designated first-class relics):

🔹 Notable Artifacts

• Hand-drawn Topographic Map of Taiping Ferry (1935): Created with brush and ink on local paper, marking 23 key locations including ferry points, docks, salt warehouses, and ancestral halls—originally compiled by the Central Column’s Operations Department;
• Copper Inkwell Used by Zhou Enlai: Employed in February 1935 at the “Rongshengtong” Salt Office in Taiping Town just before the second crossing of the Chishui River; the inner lid bears the inscription: “Presented to Comrade Zhou, Red Army Supply Department, 1935”;
• Original Copy of Issue No. 4 of Xingxing Bao (Red Star News), March 26, 1935: Contains the article “Victory in Crossing the Chishui River”—the only surviving complete copy known to exist;
• Remnants of Bamboo Rafts and Boat Nails from Civilian Support Efforts in Taiping: Recovered from the riverbed near Taiping along the Chishui River, radiocarbon dated to the 1930s;
• Series of Rubbing Transcripts from Red Army Propaganda Inscriptions: Including 17 well-preserved original inscriptions such as “Overthrow Chiang Kai-shek, Liberate All China” and “Joining the Red Army Means Receiving Land.”

🔹 Immersive Exhibits

• Holographic Dynamic Sand Table: “Second Crossing of the Chishui River”: Integrated with GIS geographic information systems, this exhibit dynamically simulates the Red Army’s movement routes, enemy and friendly forces’ positions, and hydrological and meteorological conditions during the period of February 18–21, 1935;
• Sound and Light Theater: “Night Crossing at Taiping”: Recreates the historic scene of over 3,700 Red Army soldiers crossing the Chishui River under moonlight and fishing torches on the night of February 19, 1935, accompanied by dialect narration in Sichuanese and the folk song “Sending My Lover Off to Join the Red Army”;
• Reconstructed Scene: “Red Army Field Hospital”: A 1:1 replica of the old site of the “Wanshou Palace” in Taiping Town in 1935, displaying authentic medical tools such as forceps, enamel medicine jars, and homemade splints, illustrating battlefield medical practices.

🌟 Cultural Significance: A Multidimensional Historical Benchmark

🧭 Travel Tips: Guide to an Immersive Experience

• Recommended Itinerary (Suggested visit duration: 2.5 hours):

  Main Museum Building → Taiping Ferry Site (3-minute walk) → Former Residence of the Red Army General Political Department (Xiehechang Salt Office) → Liaison Point at Erlangtan Ferry (optional river cruise on the Chishui River) → Red Army Street in Taiping Ancient Town (sample “Red Army Sausage” and “Chishui River Wine”)

• Special Services:

  • ✅ Offers trilingual guided tours in Mandarin, Sichuan dialect, and Miao language (must be booked one day in advance);
  • ✅ Regularly hosts youth educational programs themed “Retracing the Long March,” including bamboo raft crafting, straw shoe weaving, and battlefield first aid training;
  • ✅ The “Chishui Reading Room” within the museum provides free access to academic publications such as Research on the Four Crossings of the Chishui River and Anthology of Red Songs from Southern Sichuan.

• Visitor Notes:

  • The ancient town’s cobblestone paths are steep—comfortable, non-slip footwear is recommended;
  • During flood season (June–September), some viewing platforms at ferry sites may close temporarily—please check official announcements;
  • Respect historical sites—do not touch display case glass or surfaces of artifact replicas.

🌄 Closing Reflection:
There is no grand monument here—but standing tall is the true height of faith;
There are no dazzling lights or sound effects—but flowing through are the hottest veins of spirit.
As the waves of the Chishui River sweep over the gables of Taiping Ancient Town, the wisdom and courage of the Four Crossings still echo quietly in every stone and ripple.
— To step inside is to enter the very origin of the great narrative of the Communist Party of China: overcoming overwhelming odds, marching toward death with unwavering resolve.