Gutian Tourist Area is located in Gutian Town, Shanghang County, Longyan City, Fujian Province, in the southwest of Fujian Province and at the southern foot of Meihua Mountain Nature Reserve, with a planned area of 7.6 square kilometers. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction, as well as a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit, a National Patriotism Education Demonstration Base, a national "Red Tourism Area" and "Red Tourism Classic Scenic Area". Here, tourism resources are rich and diverse, with revolutionary cultural landscapes and natural scenery complementing each other, and many red classic attractions with the Gutian Conference Site as the core are particularly dazzling.
History and Culture
The predecessor of Gutian Tourist Area was the "Liao's Ancestral Hall" in the Qing Dynasty, also known as the "Wanyuan Temple", initially built in the 28th year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1848) by the descendants of the Liao family to commemorate their ancestor Mr. Beiguo. In the early years of the Republic of China, the descendants of the Liao family established the local first primary school here - Hesheng Primary School. In May 1929, the Red Army entered the Gutian area of western Fujian and renamed the primary school "Shuguang Primary School".
From December 28th to 29th, 1929, Mao Zedong, Zhu De, Chen Yi, etc. convened the Ninth Congress of the Communist Party of China Red Fourth Army (i.e., the Gutian Conference) in Shuguang Primary School, Gutian District, with more than 120 delegates attending. This meeting was of great significance and was called the "milestone of the Chinese revolution". After the meeting, the new people's army gradually developed and grew. On October 30, 2014, President Xi Jinping convened the Military Political Work Conference in Gutian, which attracted more attention to Gutian. Gutian Town has continuously excavated and enriched the red culture, vigorously developed the tourism industry, and realized the transformation from a poor old revolutionary base area to a AAAAA-level red tourism scenic area and a national forest health preservation base. In addition, the scenic area also has intangible cultural heritages such as Mutong Haoge, Western Fujian Han Opera, and Liancheng Sibao, as well as the Chen Jinggu belief culture with a history of more than 1,200 years. In March 1961, Gutian Tourist Area was rated as a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit; in 2004, it was listed as a Chinese "Red Tourism Area" and "Red Tourism Classic Scenic Area"; in 2015, it was rated as a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction; in 2016, it won the title of China Patriotism Education Demonstration Base and other titles.
Main Attractions
Gutian Conference Memorial Hall
Located at No. 85 Gutian Road, Gutian Town, Shanghang County, Longyan City, Fujian Province, it is a national first-class museum. The museum features a "hui"-shaped ancient-style architectural design. The horizontal plaque above the main gate inscribed with "Gutian Conference Memorial Hall" was written by General Xiao Ke. Founded in July 1971 and opened to the public in October 1974, the memorial hall comprises 10 exhibition halls and serves as a revolutionary memorial integrating cultural relics collection, research, and educational propaganda.
Chairman Mao Memorial Garden
Located on the northeast side of the Gutian Conference Site. The first platform has a depth of 1.9 meters, combined with 11 subsequent steps, symbolizing the 1911 Revolution. A white marble statue of Chairman Mao stands in the middle of the memorial garden. The statue began to be carved in 1969 but was suspended for historical reasons. It was proposed to erect it again in 2009 on the 80th anniversary of the Gutian Conference and was officially erected on June 6th. The size of the statue is closely related to Chairman Mao's life and important historical events of the Chinese revolution: the statue is 7.1 meters high, representing the founding date of the Communist Party of China on July 1st; the overall height of the statue is 10.1 meters, and the width of the first platform is 1.949 meters, symbolizing the founding of New China on October 1st, 1949; the base is a regular octagon, implying the Red Army's octagonal cap; the base has 5 layers, implying the five-pointed star and the Five-Star Red Flag; from bottom to top, the 1st to 3rd layers are 0.18 meters, 0.93 meters, and 1.929 meters respectively, and the 4th and 5th layers are combined into an inclined plane of 1.228 meters, implying the birth of Chairman Mao in 1893 and the convening of the Gutian Conference on December 28th, 1929; the side length of the octagonal base is 4.1 meters, representing that Chairman Mao was in power for 41 years from the Zunyi Conference in 1935 to 1976; the distance from the base is 9.9 meters, and the width of the third platform is 19.76 meters, representing the date of Chairman Mao's death on September 9th, 1976.
Red Army Bridge
Also known as the "Sanji Bridge", it is located on the Wulongxi River on the left side of the Wanyuan Temple (Liao's Ancestral Hall). In mid-December 1929, Comrade Mao Zedong led the Red Fourth Army to transfer from Liancheng Xinquan to Gutian to carry out military training and convene the Gutian Conference. The Red Fourth Army stayed here for more than 20 days, and the Sanji Bridge, as the main passage, became a place for the Red Army to stand guard and rest. Since then, it has been called the Red Army Bridge and is one of the few revolutionary relics in Gutian.
Shuhuai Hall
Located in Sujiapo Village, Gutian Town. In October 1929, the Western Fujian Special Committee of the Communist Party of China moved the organ office from Shanghang City to Shuhuai Hall in Sujiapo. On the right side of Shuhuai Hall, there is a natural cave on the halfway up the mountain - the Zoubei Rock Cave, where Mao Zedong rested and studied at that time, and locals call it the "Chairman's Cave".
Wenchang Pavilion
Located in Jiaoyang Township, Shanghang County, it is a pagoda-style pavilion building. It was built by the people of Jiaoyang, Shanghang, to pray for cultural prosperity and took 13 years to complete. It has six floors in appearance and four floors in reality, with statues of Confucius, Lord Wenchang, and others placed inside. After the 1911 Revolution, it was changed to Guangzhi Primary School, and revolutionary activities were carried out here. From July 22nd to 29th, 1929, the first Congress of the Western Fujian Special Committee of the Communist Party of China was held here. In May 1961, it became one of the first batch of provincial key cultural relic protection units.
"Gutian Conference Shines Forever" Slogan
Monument • Military Soul Theme Sculpture
Aided by the General Political Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. The main sculpture reflects the important status and role of the Gutian Conference and interprets the Chinese army's unchanging military soul to the Party. Designed and produced by the Chinese People's Revolution Military Museum, it is 7.5 meters long, 3.5 meters wide, 5.4 meters high, and has a 1-meter base. It consists of bronze statues of 12 people including Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and Chen Yi, three Chinese red marble flags of the Communist Party of China, a mushroom stone veneer base, and an inscription.
Zhongxingtang Command
The former headquarters of the Fourth Red Army was built in 1805 (the 10th year of the Jiaqing reign in the Qing Dynasty) and took three years to complete. The entire building is a brick-and-wood single-story structure with a hanging gable roof, belonging to the enclosed courtyard style of architecture. The layout consists of one main building and three horizontal wings. In December 1929, when the Fourth Red Army was stationed in Gutian, they established their headquarters in Zhongxing Hall. In May 2005, it was designated as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.
Songyin Hall Political Department
The address of the Political Department of the Red Fourth Army of the Communist Party of China, also known as the "Yongdong Building", is located in Bajia Village, Gutian Town, Shanghang County. It was built in the 12th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1807), took 8 years to complete, and has a history of 205 years. The overall construction integrates the characteristics of ancient southern architecture and Hakka architecture. In the 1920s, it was forcibly rented by foreign missionaries as a church. After the land reform in May 1929, the missionaries left. In December 1929, after the Red Fourth Army entered Gutian, it set up the Front Committee organ and Political Department here.
Delicacies
Taro Buns
A special food in Gutian, with taro and sweet potato starch as the skin, wrapped with fillings made of stir-fried pork, mushrooms, dried bamboo shoots, and other ingredients. The soft and waxy taro is matched with rich fillings, with distinct taste layers and overflowing aroma, which can be tasted in many local restaurants.
Shuanjiupin (Nine-Piece Hot Pot)
Selecting meat from nine different parts of the cow, such as the tongue peak, hundred-leaf tripe, and heart crown, cutting them into thin slices, and blanching them in boiling soup with special dipping sauce. Tender meat and fresh soup, rich in nutrition, is a delicacy that can fully reflect the food characteristics of Gutian and is deeply loved by locals and tourists.
White-Cut Hetian Chicken
Made with the famous Hetian chicken, after killing the chicken, scalding it thoroughly with hot water, and then cooking it in a pot until done. The chicken has yellow skin and white meat, tender meat, and original taste. When eating, it can be dipped in seasonings such as ginger and garlic juice, and the taste is very delicious. It is a common food on the Gutian dining table.
Ciba (Glutinous Rice Cake)
Made from glutinous rice through multiple processes such as soaking, steaming, and pounding. Ciba has a soft and glutinous taste, which can be eaten directly or fried and dipped in brown sugar, soybean powder, etc. Sweet and delicious, it is a traditional snack with Gutian characteristics, sold in street snack stalls or specialty stores.
Tickets
Free admission, but some attractions may charge a fee.
Opening Hours
Open all day, but the opening hours of each attraction are different.
Tour Routes
One-day tour route: After entering the scenic area from the entrance, tourists can first go to the Gutian Conference Site to visit this building of great historical significance and understand the background and historical significance of the Gutian Conference. Then go to the Gutian Conference Memorial Hall to deeply understand the Gutian Conference and that magnificent revolutionary history through the rich cultural relics and materials in the hall. Then go to Chairman Mao Memorial Garden to pay homage to the white marble statue of Chairman Mao. After that, you can go to the Red Army Bridge to feel the scene of the Red Army's activities there. Finally, you can choose to visit other attractions such as Zhongxingtang Command and Songyin Hall Political Department.
Two-day tour route: On the first day, visit the Gutian Conference Site and Memorial Hall in the morning, visit Chairman Mao Memorial Garden and Red Army Bridge in the afternoon, and stay near the scenic area at night to experience the local red cultural atmosphere. On the second day, go to attractions such as Shuhuai Hall and Wenchang Pavilion to deeply understand the revolutionary history and culture of Gutian, and also visit some intangible cultural heritage exhibition areas in the scenic area, such as the exhibition of intangible cultural heritages like Mutong Haoge and Western Fujian Han Opera, to feel the deep cultural heritage of Gutian.
Transportation
- Self-driving: You can set the destination as Gutian Tourist Area through navigation software. Starting from Longyan Urban Area, driving along the highway with good road conditions, the journey takes about 1 hour. There are parking lots around the scenic area, convenient for self-driving tourists to park.
- Public transportation: You can first arrive in Longyan City, then take a bus from Longyan Bus Station to Gutian Town, and there are many bus trips. After arriving in Gutian Town, you can take a local bus or take a taxi to the scenic area, with convenient transportation.
Must-visit Attractions
- Gutian Conference Site: Originally the Liao's Ancestral Hall, the Gutian Conference was held here in 1929. The architectural style is simple and has typical Hakka architectural characteristics. The conference site retains the layout of the conference at that time, allowing tourists to intuitively feel that important historical moment.
- Gutian Conference Memorial Hall: A national first-class museum, which displays a large number of cultural relics, pictures, and materials related to the Gutian Conference. Through modern display means, it vividly shows the historical background, process, and important significance of the Gutian Conference.
- Chairman Mao Memorial Garden: The white marble statue of Chairman Mao in the garden is solemn and solemn, and the size of the statue is closely related to important historical nodes. The design of the memorial garden is also of great significance, and it is an important place to pay tribute to revolutionary ancestors.
Tour Tips
- It is recommended to play for 1-2 days, and you can choose a one-day or two-day tour route according to your time and interests. Spring and autumn are pleasant seasons, the best time to play; pay attention to sun protection and heatstroke prevention measures in summer; pay attention to keeping warm in winter.
- The scenic area is mainly for walking and visiting, so it is recommended to wear comfortable shoes for easy walking.
- You can hire a scenic area guide or rent a voice guide device to better understand the historical and cultural stories behind the attractions.
- When tasting local special foods, you can choose regular and hygienic restaurants to ensure food safety.
- You can buy some cultural souvenirs with Gutian characteristics, such as handicrafts with red culture themes, as souvenirs.
Notes
- Respect the historical and cultural relics in the scenic area, and do not touch or damage cultural relics and ancient buildings at will.
- Keep quiet and follow the regulations of the venue when visiting celebrity former residences, memorial halls, and other places.
- There are many tourists in the scenic area, especially during holidays. Pay attention to keeping personal belongings.
- Take good care of the environment in the scenic area and do not litter.
- Follow the on-site order when watching performances or participating in activities in the scenic area.