Lianyungang · History & Resistance

I. The Source of Civilization: Mountain and Sea Imprints of the Ancient Dongyi State

The history of Lianyungang stretches far back, long before its current name came into being. Around 10,000 years ago in the Neolithic Age, traces of human activity already existed here. The Taohuajian Paleolithic site, located at the southern foot of Jinping Mountain in Haizhou District, Lianyungang, has yielded a large number of chipped stone tools, pushing the history of human habitation here back to an even earlier, more primitive era. Entering the Neolithic Age, the Dayishan Stone Coffin Tomb site (in Guanyun County) represents the distinctive character of the Qingliangang Culture. Its burial custom of constructing tombs with massive stones stands out uniquely among contemporaneous archaeological cultures in China, revealing early ancestors' natural worship of mountains and rocks and their concepts of the soul.

During the Xia and Shang dynasties, the Lianyungang area fell within the sphere of the Dongyi people, historically referred to as the "Renfang" or "Yifang." The Dongyi tribes of this period, leveraging their advantageous geography of being near the sea and mountains, developed an economic model combining fishing, hunting, and primitive agriculture. Oracle bone inscriptions from the Shang Dynasty frequently record campaigns against the "Renfang," with many of the routes pointing toward the Yellow Sea coast where Lianyungang lies today. In the early Western Zhou Dynasty, after the Duke of Zhou's eastern expedition, this area became part of the "Nine Yi" territories that paid tribute to the Zhou king. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the Lianyungang area successively fell under the intersecting spheres of influence of the Lu, Ju, and Chu states, culturally displaying a transitional character blending Qilu and Jingchu traditions, which laid the foundation for the region's distinctive cultural temperament in later years.

II. Administrative Evolution: A Thousand-Year Transformation from Qu County to Haizhou

Lianyungang's administrative establishment dates back to the Qin Dynasty. After unifying the six states, Qin Shi Huang established Qu County under Donghai Commandery, with its county seat located in what is today's Haizhou District. This history is supported by solid archaeological evidence: in 1979, a Qin Dynasty bronze measure inscribed with "Donghai Commandery, Qu County" was unearthed near Kongwang Mountain in Haizhou District, Lianyungang, serving as physical proof of the Qin Dynasty's unification of weights and measures. Xu Fu, the Qin Dynasty alchemist, set sail from the coast of this very area eastward to Japan, becoming the earliest legendary figure in the history of Sino-Japanese exchange. During the Han Dynasty, Qu County prospered from the profits of salt and iron, and Emperor Wu of Han established a salt administration office here. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, as Buddhism first spread to China, the cliff carvings at Kongwang Mountain were created during this period—an artistic treasure predating the Dunhuang Mogao Caves by approximately two hundred years, and one of the earliest pieces of evidence of Buddhism's introduction to China via the maritime route.

In the seventh year of the Wuding era of the Eastern Wei Dynasty (AD 549), Haizhou Prefecture was first established here, governing six commanderies and nineteen counties, and the name Haizhou has been in use for over 1,400 years since then. During the Tang and Song dynasties, Haizhou was a key node where the Maritime Silk Road intersected with the overland Silk Road, with Japanese envoys to the Tang court and Goryeo emissaries often landing here. In the Northern Song period, Haizhou prospered economically. Su Shi once served here, leaving the verse "Lush green Cangwu Mountain rises from the sea, Penglai and Fangzhang appear and vanish between being and non-being," praising the ethereal, immortal aura of Yuntai Mountain (anciently known as Cangwu Mountain). During the Southern Song, Haizhou became a frontline in the tug-of-war between Song and Jin forces, with its city walls repeatedly ravaged by war. In the Yuan and Ming dynasties, Haizhou fell under Huai'an Prefecture, and its subordinate counties of Donghai and Ganyu formed the basic territorial framework of today's Lianyungang City.

In 1933, construction began on the port at the terminus of the Longhai Railway. Taking the first characters of Lian Island and Yuntai Mountain, it was named "Lianyungang," and a brand-new port city was born. In November 1948, the entire Lianyungang area was liberated, and Haizhou and Lianyungang were merged into the new Xinhailian Special District. In 1961, Xinhailian City was officially renamed Lianyungang City, and this ancient land finally opened a new era of modern urban development under the name of its port.

III. Ming and Qing Guard Posts and Ancient Fortresses: Military Remains of the Coastal Defense Frontline

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, raids by Japanese pirates (wokou) and sea bandits made Lianyungang a key stronghold of coastal defense. During the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court established a garrison system (weisuo) along the coast, with military units such as Donghai Zhongsuo and Donghai Zhongqiansuo set up within the Haizhou region. These garrisons were not merely military strongholds but also gave rise to distinctive fortified settlements (tunbao). Today's Xugou Town in Lianyungang District was the seat of the Ming-era Donghai Zhongsuo; its strategically formidable terrain commanded Haizhou Bay, and traces of rammed-earth foundation from the ancient fortress walls can still be found there.

Xingzhuang Ancient City in Ganyu District stands as a typical example of a Ming-dynasty anti-pirate fortress. During the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, to resist Japanese pirates (wokou), local gentry raised funds to build a castle with walls roughly three li in circumference, featuring four gates facing east, west, south, and north, and a cross-shaped street within—serving both military defense and civilian habitation. Similar ancient fortresses include Nancheng (Old Phoenix City) outside Haizhou, which was built along the mountain with walls winding over the Phoenix Mountain ridge; its east and west gates survive to this day, with the stone plaque reading "Ancient Phoenix City" clearly visible above the gate arches. These fortresses were typically constructed from locally sourced blue stone or rammed earth, equipped with watchtowers, crenellated parapets, and barbicans, reflecting the mature design of the Ming coastal defense system. During the Qing Dynasty, the Donghai Battalion was established in Haizhou to continue coastal defense, and the fortresses gradually shifted from military to civilian use, becoming centers for trade and market fairs in surrounding villages.

IV. Haizhou Ancient City: A Living Carrier of a Thousand-Year Cultural Heritage

Haizhou Ancient City is the core carrier of Lianyungang's historical and cultural heritage. Its layout was largely established during the Song Dynasty and underwent renovations through the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, preserving a complete street and alley texture to this day. The ancient city is centered on Zhongdajie (Central Street) and Xidajie (West Street) as its main axes, with the Bell and Drum Tower standing at the city's heart. This Bell and Drum Tower was first built during the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty and has been rebuilt several times since. The existing structure reflects Qing Dynasty architectural style, standing three stories tall with upturned eaves and soaring corners. Climbing to the top offers a panoramic view of the entire city. The morning bell and evening drum once served as the timekeeping coordinates for the daily lives of Haizhou's residents.

The Double Dragon Well in the ancient city was dug during the Song Dynasty. Its water is clear, cool, and sweet, never drying up even in severe droughts, making it a vital source of domestic water for Haizhou. Ancient trees tower beside the well, and the spot remains a public space where citizens gather to cool off and chat. Outside the city's South Gate lies White Tiger Mountain, home to the Tang Dynasty Haiqing Temple Pagoda, also known as the Ashoka Pagoda. Built during the Tang Dynasty, this nine-tiered, octagonal brick pagoda stands about 40 meters tall. Having weathered over a thousand years of wind and rain as well as several earthquakes, it still stands majestically and is one of the oldest surviving ancient pagodas in northern Jiangsu. Within the ancient city is also the Confucian Temple built during the Ming Dynasty (now the site of Haizhou Experimental Primary School). Its Dacheng Hall retains Ming Dynasty structural features in its beam and frame system, serving as an important physical artifact for studying Ming Dynasty official architecture in northern Jiangsu. Strolling through Haizhou Ancient City, the blue-brick and gray-tile residences, the mottled stone-paved roads, and the signboards of time-honored shops all speak of the vicissitudes of this thousand-year-old city.

5. Kongwang Mountain Cliff Carvings: Evidence of Buddhism's Maritime Spread Eastward

The Kongwang Mountain Cliff Carvings, located at the southern foot of Kongwang Mountain in Haizhou District, Lianyungang City, are a nationally protected key cultural relic site. Legend has it that Confucius once climbed this mountain to gaze at the East China Sea, hence the name Kongwang Mountain (Confucius Gazing Mountain). Over a hundred cliff carvings survive on the mountainside, carved following the natural contours of the rock face, depicting Buddhas, bodhisattvas, disciples, guardian warriors, and secular figures. In the 1980s, leading Chinese archaeologists identified these carvings as dating from the Eastern Han Dynasty, roughly 200 years earlier than the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang (first carved in 366 AD during the Former Qin Dynasty), making them the earliest Buddhist cliff carvings ever discovered in China and a key piece of evidence for Buddhism's introduction via the maritime Key physical evidence of the Silk Road's introduction into China.

Among the carvings, the most striking is the "Nirvana Scene" at the center of the cliff face, depicting the mourning of disciples at Shakyamuni's passing into nirvana. Its composition and technique bear clear hallmarks of Han Dynasty stone relief style, reflecting the fusion of Buddhist art with indigenous craftsmanship as it first entered China. Additionally, the carvings include Jataka tales such as "The Bodhisattva Feeding His Body to a Tigress." Accompanying the cliff carvings is the Longdong Nunnery halfway up the mountain, home to a thousand-year-old ginkgo tree whose golden foliage in autumn creates a striking contrast against the gray tiles and red walls. The value of the Kongwang Mountain Cliff Carvings lies not only in their artistic achievement but also in how they rewrite the history of Buddhism's spread in China—Buddhism did not arrive solely via the overland route from the Western Regions, but also made landfall through maritime channels.

VI. The Sacred Land of Journey to the West: The Myth and Reality of Huaguo Mountain

Lianyungang is the cultural birthplace of "Journey to the West," a claim supported by solid documentary and geographical evidence. Although Wu Cheng'en (c. 1500-1582) of the Ming Dynasty was a native of Huai'an, he spent a long period active in the Haizhou area. The geographical features of Huaguo Mountain described in his "Journey to the West" as "the Divine Continent of the Eastern Victory, the Aolai Kingdom east of the sea" closely match the island topography of Yuntai Mountain (Huaguo Mountain) in Lianyungang. Before the Ming Dynasty, Yuntai Mountain was actually an island in the sea, only connected to the mainland during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty when the Yellow River changed course and silt accumulated to form land, which perfectly aligns with the overseas immortal mountain imagery of "the blessed land of Huaguo Mountain, the cave heaven of Water Curtain Cave" in "Journey to the West."

The Water Curtain Cave on Huaguo Mountain is a natural fissure cave with a waterfall cascading before it year-round, exactly as described in the novel. On the stone walls inside the cave, there are Ming Dynasty inscriptions reading "Water Curtain Cave." Yunti Peak, at an elevation of 624.4 meters, is the highest peak in Jiangsu Province. From its summit, one can gaze eastward over the Yellow Sea, and when shrouded in mist, it truly evokes a sense of "immortal mountain." Sanyuan Palace is the core ancient architectural complex on Huaguo Mountain, first built in the Tang Dynasty and restored in the Song Dynasty. The existing structures feature Ming and Qing styles, enshrining the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water. Additionally, the mountain features seventy-two caves and whimsical rock formations such as Bajie Stone and Tang Seng Cliff, each corresponding to episodes in the novel. In 2005, Huaguo Mountain was rated a national 5A-level tourist attraction, attracting a large number of domestic and international visitors each year to explore the "hometown of the Great Sage."

VII. The Hometown of Intangible Heritage: Haizhou's Five Major Tunes and Folk Crafts

Lianyungang boasts a rich array of intangible cultural heritage, the most representative of which is the "Haizhou Five Major Tunes." This is a traditional form of folk performing art that circulates in the Haizhou area, comprising five tune types: Ruanping, Dieluo, Nandiao, Lidiao, and Boyang. Performed with silk and bamboo instrument accompaniment, the melodies are graceful and delicate, combining the vigor of northern folk arts with the softness of southern ditties. The history of the Haizhou Five Major Tunes can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty. They are the localized product of popular Ming and Qing tunes after their spread and evolution in the Haizhou region, and were included in the first batch of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2006. Today, a number of veteran artists in Haizhou still persist in performing these tunes, and heritage training classes have been established at places such as Haizhou Experimental Primary School, ensuring that this ancient vocal art continues among children and young people.

Beyond folk performing arts, Lianyungang's traditional crafts are equally splendid. The "black pottery firing technique" of Ganyu District uses locally unique black clay as its raw material. Through hand-throwing, carving, and firing, the finished pieces are jet-black and lustrous, with walls as thin as paper, possessing extremely high aesthetic value. The "bean worm cuisine preparation technique" of Guanyun County uses soybean worm caterpillars as ingredients to create uniquely flavored dishes, a remarkable wonder of local food culture. In addition, there are folk art projects such as Haizhou paper-cutting, Lianyungang shell carving, and Donghai printmaking, which together form Lianyungang's colorful intangible cultural heritage tapestry. Every June, on "Cultural and Natural Heritage Day," Lianyungang hosts intangible cultural heritage performances across the city, bringing ancient crafts into modern life.

8. The Architectural Code of Ancient Fortresses: Defensive Wisdom Between Mountains and Sea

The Ming and Qing dynasty ancient fortresses in Lianyungang are not just military structures but also the crystallization of ancient people's wisdom in adapting to the mountain-and-sea environment. Take Ganyu Xingzhuang Ancient City as an example: it is situated on a high, dry terrace, with hills to the north and a river to the south, facilitating both water access and sea observation. The city walls were rammed with a mixture of lime, soil, and sand, faced with bricks on both sides, with bases several meters thick that taper upward, forming a stable trapezoidal cross-section. The city gate design is particularly elaborate, featuring a barbican (moon city)—a semicircular or square small enclosure outside the main gate—so that even if enemies breach the outer gate, they would be caught in a crossfire from all sides within the barbican. Along the city walls, protruding horse-face platforms (defensive towers) are placed at regular intervals, eliminating blind spots in defense and allowing flanking fire against besieging enemies.

The ancient fortress of Haizhou South City exemplifies mountain defense characteristics. The city wall winds along the ridge of Phoenix Mountain, fully leveraging the steep terrain to form a natural barrier that is easy to defend and difficult to attack. A drawbridge and moat are located at the city gate, with the moat fed by mountain springs that never run dry throughout the year. Within the fortress, residential houses are built in layers along the mountain slope, with narrow and winding streets and alleys that facilitate street-to-street combat during wartime. The drainage systems of these ancient fortresses are also quite ingenious, with stone-built drainage culverts at the base of the walls that quickly channel mountain floodwaters away, preventing waterlogging. Examining these ancient fortresses, one can clearly see the high maturity of Ming Dynasty coastal defense engineering, as well as the remarkable creativity of craftsmen in adapting to local conditions.

IX. Living Heritage: Historic Districts and Contemporary Life

The historical relics of Lianyungang are not specimens isolated from modern life, but are deeply integrated into the everyday fabric of the city. At the Bell and Drum Tower Square in Haizhou Ancient City, residents come every morning for exercise, while in the evening it becomes a lively venue for square dancing, chess games, and casual chats. Beside the Twin Dragon Well, residents still draw water with buckets to water their flowers, continuing a way of life that dates back a hundred years. In the ancient city's alleys, old-fashioned barbershops, shoe repair stalls, and traditional pastry shops sit side by side with trendy coffee shops and creative boutiques, creating a unique atmosphere where old and new intertwine.

Venues such as Lianyungang Museum, the historical and cultural district of Haizhou Ancient City, and Minzhu Road Cultural Street bring static history to life through exhibitions, markets, and immersive performances. For example, the annual Mid-Autumn Festival "Haizhou Ancient City Moon Worship Ceremony" recreates the Ming Dynasty ritual of moon worship, attracting large numbers of young people dressed in Hanfu to participate. Minzhu Road Cultural Street, built around commercial architecture from the Republic of China era, has introduced intangible cultural heritage workshops, time-honored restaurants, and art studios, making it a popular weekend leisure destination for locals. In addition, Lianyungang has promoted "Museums on Campus" and "Intangible Heritage in the Classroom" programs in primary and secondary schools, allowing young people to engage with and appreciate local history and culture from an early age. This philosophy of living heritage ensures that Lianyungang's historical lineage will not be severed by the process of modernization.

X. Historical Echoes: From the Eastern Bridgehead to a Node on the Belt and Road

Examining Lianyungang's transformation from ancient to modern times reveals a clear historical logic: its geographical location has determined its destiny. In ancient times, it was one of the starting ports of the Maritime Silk Road. Xu Fu's eastward voyage, the landing of Japanese envoys to the Tang Dynasty, and the Buddhist carvings at Kongwang Mountain were all products of maritime exchange. In modern times, the construction of the Longhai Railway made Lianyungang the most convenient seaport for the Central Plains and Northwest China. In 1984, Lianyungang was listed among China's first batch of coastal open cities, once again standing at the forefront of reform and opening-up. Today, as the eastern bridgehead of the New Eurasian Land Bridge, Lianyungang serves as a logistics hub connecting central and western China with Central Asia and Europe. The launch of the China-Kazakhstan logistics cooperation base has further elevated the city's strategic position to the level of international cooperation.

History has bequeathed Lianyungang a rich legacy: the Han-dynasty charm of Kongwang Mountain, the ethereal aura of Huaguo Mountain, the bustling life of Haizhou Ancient City, the weathered grandeur of ancient forts, and the refined elegance of intangible cultural heritage—together these form the city's cultural foundation. Meanwhile, the port facing the Yellow Sea, the crisscrossing railways, and the bustling container terminals represent Lianyungang's open posture toward the future. To understand Lianyungang, one must read both its historical depth and contemporary vision—this is a city that constantly renews itself in the millennial sea breeze, and every turn it takes is accompanied by an embrace of the ocean and a look back at the land.

I. The Spark of Revolution: The May Fourth Wave and the Establishment of Local Party Organizations

The revolutionary spark in the Lianyungang region was ignited in the wake of the May Fourth Movement. In 1919, when news of the patriotic student movement in Beijing reached Haizhou, students from the Provincial Eighth Normal School (the predecessor of today's Lianyungang Normal College) immediately responded, taking to the streets to give speeches and demonstrate in support of the Beijing students. Thereafter, Marxism began to spread among progressive young people. In 1925, Li Chaoshi, a member of the Communist Party of China, was dispatched by the organization to return to his hometown in Donghai County, where he carried out revolutionary activities under the cover of being a primary school teacher. In the autumn of 1927, the Donghai Special Branch of the CPC was established at Niushan in Donghai County, marking the first local organization of the Communist Party of China in the Lianyungang area. After its establishment, the Special Branch actively recruited party members, organized peasant associations, and led poor farmers in struggles against rent and tax exploitation.

Between 1928 and 1929, as the revolutionary situation developed, the CPC Haizhou County Committee and the CPC Guanyun County Committee were successively established. Under the party's leadership, student movements, worker movements, and peasant movements rose one after another. In 1930, the "Donghai Uprising" led by the CPC Xuhai-Bengbu Special Committee failed due to a disparity in strength, but the seeds of revolution had already been deeply sown in this land. In 1933, the CPC Lianyungang Special Branch developed party members among port workers and established a dockworkers' branch, laying the organizational foundation for worker struggles during the subsequent War of Resistance against Japan. Although the activities of these early party organizations were repeatedly suppressed by the Kuomintang authorities, the revolutionary flame never went out, and once the nation faced peril, it would quickly spread like a wildfire.

II. Years of Occupation: The Port City's Suffering Under the Iron Heel of Japanese Aggressors

On July 7, 1937, the full-scale War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression broke out. In the spring of 1938, the Japanese army targeted Lianyungang in an attempt to sever the Longhai Railway, a vital transportation line for China's war effort. On May 20, 1938, a unit of the Japanese 5th Division, covered by aircraft, forcibly landed near Sunjiashan in Lianyungang. The Chinese defenders, the 112th Division of the 57th Army (commanded by Division Commander Huo Shouyi), rose to resist, launching the Battle of Lianyungang Defense. However, due to the disparity in equipment and the lack of air and naval support, after several days of fierce fighting, the defenders suffered heavy casualties and were forced to retreat. By the end of May, the urban area and port of Lianyungang had fallen to the enemy. Subsequently, the Japanese established strongholds in Haizhou, Xinpu, and Lianyungang, propped up puppet regimes, and imposed brutal fascist rule over the occupied areas.

During the occupation, the Japanese army committed heinous crimes in Lianyungang. According to post-war survey statistics, during the occupation, Japanese troops killed thousands of innocent civilians and burned down over ten thousand houses. The Japanese army implemented a "sustain war through war" policy in Lianyungang, plundering local strategic materials such as salt, iron, and grain, and shipping them to Japan via the port. Meanwhile, the Japanese forcibly conscripted large numbers of Chinese laborers to build military fortifications, and many laborers died from exhaustion, starvation, and abuse. In 1940, Japanese troops perpetrated the "Dawushan Massacre" in Ganyu County, slaughtering over a hundred villagers. In 1942, Japanese troops burned down more than two hundred civilian houses in Fangshan Town, Donghai County, committing rape, looting, and every conceivable atrocity. These memories of blood and tears are an eternal wound in the hearts of Lianyungang's people, and also the driving force that inspired them to rise up in resistance.

III. Liberation and Enlistment: The Spark of Anti-Japanese Armed Forces

Facing the brutal rule of the Japanese army, the people of Lianyungang did not yield. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, anti-Japanese armed forces sprang up like bamboo shoots after rain across the region. In late 1938, the CPC Jiangsu-Anhui Special Committee dispatched cadres to areas such as Ganyu and Donghai to organize anti-Japanese guerrilla forces. In the spring of 1939, a unit of the Longhai Southward Advance Detachment of the Eighth Route Army's Shandong Column entered the Lianyungang area and merged with local guerrilla forces to establish the Ganyu County Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Brigade. This force was active along the border between Ganyu and Donghai, attacking Japanese and puppet strongholds, disrupting transportation lines, and delivering powerful blows to the enemy.

In 1940, main forces such as the 2nd Training Brigade of the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army advanced into the Binhai area, ushering in a new phase of the anti-Japanese struggle in Lianyungang. With the support of the main forces, anti-Japanese democratic governments were successively established in counties such as Donghai, Guanyun, and Shuyang, and the anti-Japanese base areas continued to consolidate and expand. Large numbers of young men eagerly enlisted and joined the fight, and scenes of "mothers sending sons to fight the Japanese, and wives sending husbands to the battlefield" became widespread. According to statistics, during the War of Resistance, tens of thousands of young people from the Lianyungang area joined the Eighth Route Army, the New Fourth Army, and local anti-Japanese armed forces, and many families sacrificed the lives of multiple loved ones for the victory of the war. These enlisted soldiers later became an important force in the War of Liberation and even in the construction of New China.

IV. Anti-Japanese Democratic Governments: Construction and Consolidation of the Base Areas

The establishment of the anti-Japanese democratic regime was the cornerstone of the anti-Japanese resistance behind enemy lines in Lianyungang. In the winter of 1940, with the help of the main forces of the Eighth Route Army, the Ganyu County Anti-Japanese Democratic Government was established, marking the first county-level anti-Japanese democratic regime in the Lianyungang area. Subsequently, anti-Japanese democratic governments were successively established in counties such as Donghai and Guanyun. These regimes implemented the "Three-Thirds System" principle, whereby Communist Party members, non-party progressive leftists, and centrists each accounted for one-third, broadly uniting people from all walks of life in the common fight against Japan. The government organs were streamlined and efficient, with departments for civil affairs, finance, education, and justice, and they went deep into rural areas to carry out work such as rent and interest reduction, fair burden-sharing, and production and disaster relief.

The democratic regime building in the base areas greatly mobilized the enthusiasm of the peasant masses for the anti-Japanese struggle. The rent and interest reduction policy brought tangible economic benefits to the vast number of tenant farmers, boosting their enthusiasm for production. The democratic government also organized the construction of water conservancy projects, reclamation of wasteland, and promotion of improved crop varieties, striving to ensure military supplies and civilian food. In the field of culture and education, anti-Japanese primary schools and literacy classes were widely established in the base areas, launching literacy campaigns, teaching anti-Japanese songs, and publicizing the situation of the war of resistance. The Ganyu County Anti-Japanese Democratic Government also founded the "Popular Daily" to promptly convey the Party's voice. These measures won the anti-Japanese democratic regime the heartfelt support of the people, and the base areas became formidable bastions standing firm behind enemy lines.

V. Famous Battles: The Xiaosha Naval Battle and the Ganyu Campaign

In the history of the War of Resistance in Lianyungang, two battles deserve to be remembered. The first was the Xiaosha Naval Battle in March 1943. At that time, 51 people, including a detachment of the 23rd Regiment of the 8th Brigade of the 3rd Division of the New Fourth Army and staff officers from the division headquarters, were traveling by wooden boat from the Yanfu area when they encountered Japanese patrol boats near the waters off Xiaosha Village, Ganyu County. Under the command of Regimental Commander Wang Guangxia, the officers and soldiers fought a desperate battle on the wooden boats, using rifles and grenades against enemy boats equipped with machine guns. The battle lasted from dawn to dusk. Although several enemy boats were damaged, the disparity in firepower ultimately led to the heroic sacrifice of Wang Guangxia and many other officers and soldiers. This naval battle demonstrated the fearless heroism of the New Fourth Army soldiers and wrote a tragic and stirring chapter in the history of the War of Resistance in Central China.

The second was the Ganyu Campaign in November 1943. This battle was commanded by Chen Shiqu, commander of the Eighth Route Army's Binhai Military District, employing the tactics of "coordination from within and without, combining wit with forceful assault." On the night of November 19, our forces used underground connections to open the city gates, and the main forces swiftly stormed into the city. After fierce street fighting, by dawn the next day, over 1,600 puppet troops of the 71st Brigade and security forces were completely annihilated, including more than 1,500 captured below the puppet brigade commander level, along with a large quantity of weapons and ammunition. The Ganyu Campaign was a successful assault operation by the Binhai Military District, eliminating the Japanese core stronghold in Ganyu County and linking the Binhai and Southern Shandong anti-Japanese base areas into one continuous region. This battle received commendations from the Eighth Route Army headquarters and the Shandong Military District.

VI. Coordinating Major Battles: Disrupting Transportation and Containing Enemy Forces

Beyond the frontal battlefield, Lianyungang's anti-Japanese armed forces effectively supported the national war effort through flexible guerrilla warfare. The Longhai Railway was a vital transportation artery connecting Japanese-occupied North and Central China, with the Lianyungang-Xuzhou section being a heavily guarded area. Military and civilians in the base areas frequently conducted night raids on the railway: prying up rails, burning sleepers, cutting telegraph wires, and blowing up bridges, causing frequent interruptions to Japanese railway transport. Between 1941 and 1943, the military and civilians in the Lianyungang area coordinated with the Shandong Military Region in launching multiple "sabotage operations," destroying dozens of kilometers of railway in total, effectively delaying the Japanese forces' troop movements and material transport.

In addition to sabotaging transportation, Lianyungang's anti-Japanese armed forces actively pinned down Japanese troops and supported operations on the main battlefield. In 1942, the Japanese launched a large-scale offensive to open up the Pinghan Railway. To contain the Japanese, the Eighth Route Army's Shandong Military Region ordered the Binhai Military Region troops to take the initiative and attack Japanese and puppet strongholds around Lianyungang, forcing the Japanese to divert troops from the main battlefield to reinforce. Furthermore, the military and civilians in the base areas extensively waged "sparrow warfare" and "landmine warfare," plunging the enemy into the vast ocean of people's war. According to statistics, during the War of Resistance, the anti-Japanese armed forces in the Lianyungang area fought hundreds of battles, killing, wounding, and capturing thousands of Japanese and puppet troops, making significant contributions to the nationwide victory of the War of Resistance.

VII. Supporting the Front and Liberation: From Victory in the War of Resistance to the Rebirth of the Port City

On August 15, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender. When the news arrived, the military and civilians across Lianyungang were overjoyed. However, the Japanese and puppet troops entrenched in Lianyungang refused to surrender their weapons to the Eighth Route Army, waiting instead for Kuomintang forces to arrive and take over. Following the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China's policy of "tit-for-tat, fighting for every inch of ground," the Eighth Route Army's Binhai Military District forces swiftly advanced toward Lianyungang's urban area and port, forcing a portion of the Japanese troops to surrender. Yet, as Kuomintang forces, aided by American support, seized the fruits of victory, the urban area and port of Lianyungang fell under KMT control, with Haizhou, Xinpu, and other areas remaining under KMT rule.

After the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Lianyungang region became the frontline of the War of Liberation. In June 1946, full-scale civil war broke out, and Kuomintang forces launched massive attacks on the liberated areas. The military and civilians of Lianyungang, under the leadership of the Party, rose up in self-defense. In 1948, as the War of Liberation entered the stage of strategic decisive battles, the Shandong Corps of the People's Liberation Army launched offensives. On November 7, 1948, Kuomintang troops abandoned the city and fled, and the urban area of Lianyungang was liberated. On November 8, Haizhou and Xinpu were successively liberated. At that point, the entire territory of Lianyungang returned to the hands of the people. During the liberation campaign, the people of the base areas enthusiastically supported the front lines, organizing stretcher teams and transport units, and gathering grain and supplies, making tremendous contributions to the liberation of Lianyungang.

VIII. Base Area Construction: Economic, Educational, and Social Transformation

The anti-Japanese base areas in Lianyungang were not only bastions of military struggle but also experimental grounds for social change. In economic construction, the base areas implemented policies of rent and interest reduction alongside rent and interest payment, adjusting the relationship between landlords and peasants. At the same time, a large-scale production campaign was launched, organizing both military and civilians to reclaim wasteland for farming, spin thread, and weave cloth, striving for self-sufficiency. The salt industry in the Ganyu County base area was restored and developed, and the salt produced not only met the needs of the military and civilians but was also traded for urgently needed supplies such as medicine and cloth for the base areas. The anti-Japanese democratic government of Donghai County also organized the masses to build water conservancy projects and improve soil quality, boosting grain yields.

In culture and education, the base areas vigorously established schools and promoted literacy education. The anti-Japanese democratic government of Ganyu County founded several anti-Japanese primary schools offering free education, allowing children of poor peasants to enter school for the first time. Literacy classes and winter school campaigns for adults were also widely carried out, with teaching content closely tied to the realities of the War of Resistance, covering both cultural knowledge and basic military training. The base areas also established anti-Japanese propaganda teams and theater troupes, performing plays, clapper talk, and yangge dances, greatly enriching the spiritual life of the masses. In terms of social reform, the base areas promoted gender equality and freedom of marriage, abolished feudal customs, and established new social norms. These achievements in construction laid a solid mass and social foundation for the eventual full liberation of Lianyungang.

IX. A Gallery of Figures: The Backbone of the Port City's Resistance

The history of the War of Resistance in Lianyungang was written by countless heroes, both known and unknown. Among them were strategizing commanders, soldiers charging into battle, and ordinary people making silent contributions. Fu Zhuting, a native of Guangchang, Jiangxi, served as political commissar of the Binhai Military District of the Eighth Route Army. In November 1943, after the victory of the Ganyu Campaign, he was tragically hit by enemy fire while directing the troops' withdrawal, at the young age of 31. His sacrifice was a major loss to the Binhai Military District. In memory of him, Ganyu County was once renamed "Zhuting County." The martyr's tomb of Fu Zhuting still rests in the Anti-Japanese Mountain Martyrs' Cemetery in Ganyu District, where visitors pay their respects.

Among the ordinary soldiers was Ma Bangxi, a demolition squad leader who was the first to scale the city wall in the Battle of Ganyu and continued fighting despite severe wounds. Among them was Zhang Ming, a machine gunner who, during the Battle of Xiaosha East Sea, used his body to block the gun port of an enemy boat and cover his comrades' retreat. and there were countless unnamed militiamen, women's rescue association members, and children's corps members. They may not have had distinguished military achievements, but it was precisely the bravery and resilience of these ordinary people that converged into a mighty force to overcome formidable enemies. Additionally, there were many enlightened gentry and patriotic intellectuals who supported the Communist Party's anti-Japanese proposals, donating money and goods to aid the war effort. For instance, Xu Dingnian, a gentry member from Ganyu County, sold off his family property to support the anti-Japanese democratic government, which became a celebrated tale. These collective portraits of individuals form the most moving chapter in Lianyungang's history of the War of Resistance.

10. Memory and Commemoration: Kangri Mountain and the Martyrs' Cemetery

The people of Lianyungang have never forgotten those years of war. Located in the western part of Ganyu District, the Kangri Mountain Martyrs' Cemetery is the only martyrs' cemetery in China named after "anti-Japanese resistance." The cemetery was first built in 1941, when the 2nd Teaching Brigade of the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army constructed a martyrs' memorial tower on Kangri Mountain (formerly known as Ma'an Mountain) to bury the fallen soldiers of the Qingkou Battle. Since then, through multiple expansions, the cemetery now holds the remains of over 800 martyrs, including Fu Zhuting and Wang Guangxia, and bears the names of 3,576 martyrs. Every Qingming Festival, people from all walks of life in Lianyungang come to pay their respects and honor the martyrs. In 2014, the Kangri Mountain Martyrs' Cemetery was designated as a national-level anti-Japanese war memorial facility and site.

Besides Kangri Mountain, Lianyungang has many other anti-Japanese war memorial sites. The Xiaosha East China Sea Battle Monument in Lianyun District stands on the coast where the battle took place, commemorating the heroic souls resting in the Yellow Sea. Inside Xinpu Park in Haizhou District stands a monument to the martyrs of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. In addition, the Lianyungang Municipal Archives and Museum house a large collection of documents, photographs, and artifacts from the war era, which are open to the public through special exhibitions. In recent years, Lianyungang has also carried out an emergency oral history recording project for surviving veterans of the War of Resistance, ensuring that the memories of those who witnessed the events are preserved forever. These memorial facilities and activities not only honor the fallen heroes but also serve as a warning to future generations: history must not be forgotten, and peace is hard-won.