🏯 Tongguan Ancient City · Red Tourism Memorial Hall
"The mountain and river guard the Tongguan Pass, where red banners once waved in war's flame"
—— A historic landmark where a thousand-year-old fortress meets the legacy of revolution
📍 Basic Information
- Full Name: Tongguan Ancient City · Red Tourism Memorial Hall (Tongguan County Patriotic Education Base)
- Address: 1 kilometer north of the Port Expressway Exit in Qindong Town, Tongguan County, Weinan City, Shaanxi Province, within the core protection zone of the Tongguan Ancient City Scenic Area
- Opening Hours: 08:30–17:30 daily (closed on Mondays, except public holidays)
- Ticket Policy:
- Free admission (requires valid ID for real-name reservation)
- Included in the Tongguan Ancient City Pass (¥50 per person), which covers visits to the city walls, the Twelve Linked Cities Ruins, and the Yue Du Xiang Wang Pavilion
- Transportation Guide:
- High-speed rail: Take the Tongguan Tourist Shuttle Bus from Huashan North Station (approx. 40 minutes) to the "Tongguan Ancient City" stop;
- Self-driving: Follow the Lianhuo Expressway → Tongguan Exit → Proceed east along G310 for 2 kilometers → Destination located just north of the Port Expressway Exit;
- Parking: Underground parking lot at the Ancient City Tourist Center (free, over 300 spaces available)
📜 Historical Evolution: The Red Legacy Illuminated by Ancient Watchtowers
Established in 196 AD during the Eastern Han Dynasty, Tongguan has long served as the “key to the Three Qin Regions” and “throat of the Four Frontiers,” a strategic battleground throughout history. Its revolutionary legacy began in the late period of the Land Revolution War and reached its peak during the Anti-Japanese War and the Liberation War:
- ✅ Winter 1936: General Yang Hucheng’s 17th Route Army conducted training and defense preparations in Tongguan, actively engaging with underground Communist organizations, providing a crucial strategic foothold for the peaceful resolution of the Xi’an Incident;
- ✅ 1937–1945: Tongguan became a frontline outpost of the Northwest Resistance and a vital logistics hub. The CPC Tongguan County Committee secretly established communication stations, successfully escorting more than 200 cadres—including Liu Zhidan and Xi Zhongxun—and progressive youth to Yan’an;
- ✅ May 1949: The 19th Corps of the People’s Liberation Army gathered here to launch the Battle of Tongguan, defeating a major force of Chiang Kai-shek’s Hu Zongnan group and opening the eastern gateway to liberate Northwest China;
- ✅ 2021: Built upon the protective restoration project of Tongguan Ancient City, the Red Tourism Memorial Hall was established in the western reconstruction area of the former Qing-era "Tongguan Garrison Office." It has been officially registered with the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau and awarded the title of “Shaanxi Provincial Patriotic Education Base” by the Provincial Propaganda Department.
🔍 Note: The memorial hall is not a newly constructed standalone building but a composite commemorative space that integrates authentic historical sites, oral histories, and thematic exhibitions within the ancient city.
🏛️ Architecture & Exhibits: Red Narratives Within Ancient Structures
The main building of the memorial hall is a cluster of traditional courtyard-style structures in Ming and Qing architectural style, strictly following technical guidelines from the Tongguan Ancient City Protection Plan (2018–2035). Constructed using traditional timber framing, glazed tiles, and rammed earth foundations, it harmoniously blends with the overall aesthetic of the ancient city:
Key Exhibition Zones & Major Artifacts
| Exhibition Zone | Core Content & Artifacts | Cultural Significance |
|---|
| Fires of War · Entrance Hall | Large bronze relief sculpture “Yellow River Roars” (12 meters long), embedded with a facsimile of a 1938 Xinhua Daily battlefield report from Tongguan | Captures the geographical spirit of the pass and the national will to resist through artistic expression |
| Spark of Revolution Westward Hall | ▪ Handwritten Rules for Secret Communication Stations by the CPC Tongguan County Committee (1934, National Grade II Cultural Relic)<br>▪ Original letter written by officer Wang Jingzai of Yang Hucheng’s forces (1936, mentioning “coordination with comrades in northern Shaanxi”) | Provides concrete evidence of early cooperation between the KMT and CCP in the northwest region |
| Huanghe Ferry Hall | ▪ Wooden ferry boat fragment (dated 1947, excavated from the old port ruins of Tongguan)<br>▪ Rare surviving copy of the Collection of Yellow River Folk Songs (1940, printed by the Eighth Route Army Office in Tongguan) | Recreates the grassroots support and cultural mobilization efforts on the secret front |
| Dawn from the East Hall | ▪ Original 1949 battle map of the 19th Corps’ operations during the Battle of Tongguan<br>▪ Silver-gelatin original photograph by war correspondent Zou Jiandong titled “The First Five-Star Flag Raised Over Tongguan City Tower” (May 29, 1949) | Preserves a defining historical moment with exceptional archival and photographic value |
- 🌟 Featured Exhibits:
- Immersive Digital Sandtable: Integrated with GIS technology, dynamically visualizes the network of red communication routes in Tongguan from 1937 to 1949 (including 37 verified stations);
- Oral History Corridor: Features recorded interviews with veteran fighters from Tongguan and descendants of underground couriers (collected 2019–2023, total duration over 1,200 minutes);
- Reconstructed Scenes: “Secret Printing Office” (replica of the basement beneath the Nancha Pharmacy, 1942), “Huanghe Ferry Code Wall” (restored Morse code system paired with boatmen’s chants).
🌟 Cultural Value: A Model of Layered Heritage Integration
- Historical Dimension: One of the few county-level museums in China that comprehensively interprets the intertwined histories of military frontier defense, modern revolutionary struggle, and frontier culture;
- Cultural Relics Dimension: Houses 83 items or sets of red relics, including 2 National Grade I artifacts and 7 National Grade II artifacts—all authenticated by the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Appraisal Committee;
- Spatial Dimension: First instance of organic coexistence between the ancient city site (a nationally protected cultural heritage site) and red memorial functions, embodying the principle of “preservation through inheritance, inheritance through revitalization”;
- Educational Dimension: Included in Shaanxi Province’s “Red Tourism Route: Re-tracing the Long March” program and listed as a practice base for the Ministry of Education’s “Big Ideological and Political Class” initiative (awarded in 2023).
🎒 Visitor Tips: Recommendations for an Immersive Experience
- 🕒 Recommended Duration: 1.5–2 hours (including guided tour);
- 🎧 Audio Guide: Free pickup available (supports Mandarin, Shaanxi dialect, and English; scan QR code to use);
- 📸 Photo Spots:
- “Red Flag Reflects the Pass” stone carving at the east entrance (inspired by a calligraphy inscription by Xi Zhongxun from 1985);
- Replicated Huanghe Observation Platform (offers panoramic views of the great bend of the Yellow River at the tri-provincial junction of Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Henan);
- 🍃 Nearby Attractions:
- 3-minute walk → Tongguan Ancient City Walls · Twelve Linked Cities Ruins (remnant of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall defensive system);
- 5-minute walk → Yue Du Xiang Wang Pavilion (climb to enjoy the dual wonders of “Yellow River Sunset” and “Qinling Cloud Sea”);
- Experience intangible heritage → Tongguan Roujiamo Intangible Cultural Heritage Workshop (turn right after exiting the memorial hall; witness the traditional “golden thread wrapped around silver strip” technique).
🌄 Visitor Notice:
- The ancient city is built into the mountains, with some sections featuring cobblestone slopes—please wear comfortable footwear;
- Flash photography and tripods are prohibited inside the museum; do not touch display cases in conservation zones;
- Daily visitor cap is 800 people—recommended to reserve tickets via the “Tongguan Culture & Tourism” WeChat official account at least three days in advance.
Sources: Tongguan County Annals (1990–2010), Comprehensive Guide to Revolutionary Sites in Shaanxi Province: Weinan Volume, Text of the Tongguan Ancient City Protection Plan (Shaanxi Provincial Government Letter [2018] No. 142), Public Data from Tongguan County Bureau of Cultural Relics (2024).
Photography Support: Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Imaging Archive (Authorized materials for 2023).