This attraction introduction is compiled from historical materials in the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com · Scenic Spots section). Ticket prices, opening hours, transportation, and contact information mentioned in the text may be outdated. Please refer to the latest official announcements from the scenic area before traveling; some content consists of historical background/cultural introductions and is for reference only.
Yongding District of Zhangjiajie City is located in the west of Hunan Province, slightly to the north, in the heart of the Wuling Mountains, in the middle and upper reaches of the Lishui River. The district has beautiful mountains and rivers, abundant products, a pleasant climate, and uniquely favorable tourism resources. Zhangjiajie lies hidden to its north, and Tianmen Mountain stands majestically to its south. It is a newly developed tourist city, and on this land of fantastic peaks and beautiful scenery, batch after batch of heroic sons and daughters have emerged in every period. Yongding has a glorious revolutionary history. During the Second Revolutionary Civil War, it was the seat of the Hunan-Hubei-Sichuan-Guizhou Provincial Committee, the Provincial Revolutionary Committee, and the Provincial Military Region of the Chinese Soviet Republic. In the long revolutionary struggle, the people of Yongding District made heavy sacrifices. A total of 2,100 revolutionary martyrs have been recognized, including more than 100 cadres at the regimental level and above. The heroic families of revolutionary martyrs stand towering and unshakable, and the glorious footprints of revolutionary martyrs endure forever.
As socialist construction advances with each passing day and the people's lives improve steadily, the people of Yongding, when drinking water, remember its source, and cherish even more the memory of the revolutionary martyrs sleeping in the netherworld. Thus arose a common aspiration to build a martyrs' cemetery, to record the martyrs' deeds in the annals of history and hand down the heroes' example to future generations. In 1985, the former Dayong County People's Government made the decision to build a martyrs' cemetery, choosing the second hill at Huilongguan as the cemetery site, and allocated 63 mu of hill land from the county state farm for cemetery facilities and landscaping. Under the leadership of the former county Party committee and former government, it received great attention and care from the people of the whole county and relevant higher-level departments. Despite insufficient funds, government cadres, the public, and students of Yongding District voluntarily donated 38,000 yuan, local finances raised 100,000 yuan, the provincial department invested 120,000 yuan, and the county civil affairs bureau raised 60,000 yuan. Planned by the county construction committee and reviewed by relevant departments, the foundation stone of the memorial tower was laid on March 3, 1986, and construction began. The tower was completed in October of that year. In the short span of one year, overcoming numerous difficulties, they completed the winding mountain road, the first, second, and third corridors, the 156-step stairway from the south side of the cemetery up the hill, and a martyrs' communal grave 30 meters long and 3 meters wide located 50 meters from the gate at the hillside waist. The Martyrs' Memorial Tower stands at the top of the cemetery hill, 23 meters high, majestic and towering.
The Martyrs' Cemetery is located 1.5 kilometers from the city center, shaded by green trees, and now has various infrastructure facilities. After several years of hard work, a fruit base of more than 20 mu has been established, which now bears fruit and generates income of over 8,000 yuan. Thus the green coverage has reached 90 percent. It is now fully open to the public. The cemetery will use Zhangjiajie's scenery as its guide, providing a red base for patriotic and traditional revolutionary education for the youth, and welcoming numerous visitors from home and abroad with its beautiful environment.
