Dong Zhentang

Dong Zhentang

Dong Zhentang (1895-1937), named Shaozhong, was born in Xinhe County, Xingtai City, Hebei Province. He has been practicing martial arts with his father since childhood, and won the title of "excellent model" in middle school. He studied in Baoding Military Academy in 1920, took part in the northern expedition in September 1926, and took part in the second "encirclement and suppression" against the Central Soviet Area in the spring of 1931. On December 14, 1931, he led the troops to hold the Ningdu uprising which shocked both China and foreign countries. He joined the Communist Party of China in April 1932. In October 1936, Ningxia campaign plan was carried out. In January 1937, after conquering Gaotai County in Gansu Province, he was surrounded by more than 20000 people from mabufang Department of Kuomintang, fighting for 9 days and nights, and then died on the 20th.

At the memorial service for Dong Zhentang's martyrs, Mao Zedong said affectionately that "the road is far away and the horsepower is known", and Dong Zhentang is "a comrade who is resolute in revolution". On August 3, 1985, when Hu Yaobang, then general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, came to Gaotai martyrs cemetery from Zhangye, he said: "Dong Zhentang is a talented person and a good comrade."

In September 2009, Dong Zhentang was selected as "100 heroes and models who have made outstanding contributions to the founding of new China" by 11 departments including the Central Propaganda Department and the central organization department

Life of the characters

give up civilian pursuits to join the army

When Dong naihuang was born, his family was living in exile. At first, his surname was Zhao of his grandmother's family. In 1946, with the help of the Southern Hebei District government, a family returned to Xinhe's hometown in Xingtai City to settle down and change his surname back to Dong. Dong Zhentang graduated from high school in 1913 and was admitted to Jixian middle school. When he graduated, he was awarded the title of "excellent model". He was admitted to Qinghe army preparatory school in 1917. He entered Baoding Military Academy in the autumn of 1921. Later he joined Feng Yuxiang's national army. He took part in the Beijing coup launched by Feng Yuxiang in 1924. In September 1926, he was the commander of the 12th brigade of the 14th division of the National Union army.

Go to the Soviet Area

Dong naihuang introduced that after the Central Plains war, Feng Yuxiang went down to the field, and the remaining troops south of the Yellow River in Feng's department were incorporated and transferred to Jining, Shandong Province by Chiang Kai Shek. Dong Zhentang served as the commander of the 73rd brigade of the 25th division of the 26th Route Army of the national revolutionary army. In the spring of 1931, Chiang Kai Shek ordered the 26th Route Army to go south to Jiangxi to attack the Red Army, in an attempt to make this miscellaneous army and the red army fight against each other and lose both sides. After the failure of the third "encirclement and suppression" campaign, the 26th route army moved to Ningdu County surrounded by the red area. After the September 18th Incident, Northeast China was occupied. On December 14, 1931, under the command of Zhao Bosheng and Dong Zhentang, 17000 officers and men of the 26th route army held the Ningdu uprising, which shocked both China and foreign countries. They defected to the Soviet Area and were incorporated into the Fifth Corps of the Chinese workers' and peasants' Red Army. Dong Zhentang served as deputy commander of the Fifth Corps and commander of the 13th army. In May 1932, he was promoted to commander in chief of the Fifth Corps (changed to head of the army in January 1933). From July 1932 to September 1934, Dong Zhentang led his troops to take part in almost all the battles of Ganzhou and Zhangzhou, as well as the fourth and fifth anti encirclement and suppression campaigns. In April 1932, Dong Zhentang joined the Communist Party of China.

Tieliu guard

In October 1934, due to the rule of Wang Ming's "left" opportunism, the fifth anti encirclement and suppression failed, and the first front army of the Red Army had to carry out a strategic shift and began the long march. Dong Zhentang commanded the fifth Red Army as the full back of the whole army. In June 1936, the fifth Red Army met with the Fourth Red Army in MaoGong, Sichuan Province, and won the glorious title of "tieliu guard". During the Long March, the fifth Red Army Corps played a particularly important role in the bloody battle on the Xiangjiang River and the blocking battle on the Jinsha River. At the end of November 1934, according to the order of the Central Committee that "the cover troops should do everything possible to stop and partially extinguish the enemy who was pursuing the rear", Dong Zhentang led his troops to launch a fierce and brutal bloody battle with the Kuomintang army. After they covered the main force of the Red Army and the column of the Military Commission to cross the Xiangjiang River, the 34th division, including division commander Chen Shuxiang, division political commissar Cheng Cuilin and 5000 Red Army soldiers, all died. Dong Zhentang led the fifth Red Army to make a heroic and solemn contribution to the Red Army crossing the Xiangjiang River at a heavy price. At the end of April 1935, when the Red Army crossed the Jinsha River, Dong Zhentang led his troops to stick to the defensive position for nine days and nine nights, and finally successfully completed the task of ensuring the main force of the Red Army to cross the river. In August 1935, after the Maoergai meeting of the Party Central Committee, it was decided that the first and fourth front armies should be combined to form the left and right army and go north together. In June 1936, the second front army of the red army arrived in Ganzi and joined the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army. Because of the resolute struggle of Zhu De, Liu Bocheng, Ren Bishi and he long, Zhang Guotao was forced to agree to go north together with the Red Army.

Heroic sacrifice

In January 1937, Dong Zhentang led the Red Army to capture Gaotai County in Gansu Province. However, Gao Tai was surrounded by more than 20000 people from Ma Bufang and other enemy troops. After nine days and nine nights of fierce fighting, Gao Tai was finally defeated on the 20th. Dong Zhentang and more than 3000 Red Army officers and men all died in martyrdom at the age of 42.

member of family

Achievements and contributions

Ningdu uprising to the Red Army

Ningdu uprising is a brilliant achievement of the United Front Work and military movement work under the guidance of the United Front strategy of the Communist Party of China. Dong Zhentang's participation in the Ningdu uprising played an important role in strengthening the people's revolutionary forces.

Defending the Soviet Area

In August 1932, Dong Zhentang led his troops to take part in the Yihuang and Dong'an campaigns on the north line. In the winter of the same year, they marched into Lichuan, Jianning and Taining in Eastern Jiangxi and Western Fujian. Every campaign has made brilliant achievements. In mid December, when the army and the people of the Central Soviet Area solemnly commemorated the first anniversary of the victory of the Ningdu uprising, Chairman Mao Zedong personally pinned the red flag medal on Dong Zhentang's chest and praised him as an outstanding commander and ever victorious general.

Strong guard on the long march

In October 1934, during the Long March, the fifth Red Army was ordered to serve as a guard. Dong Zhentang made outstanding contributions to cover the safe transfer of the whole army. In January 1935, it was precisely because Dong Zhentang led the fifth Red Army to set up defense in the southeast of Zunyi City, which prevented the Kuomintang's "pursuit" army from pursuing, that the Zunyi Conference was held smoothly. Dong Zhentang made another great contribution to the party and the Red Army.

Crossing the Jinsha River to block the Kuomintang

In the first ten days of May 1935, Dong Zhentang won precious time for the main force of the Party Central Committee and the Central Red Army to cross the Jinsha River. In order to protect the main force of the Party Central Committee and the Central Red Army, Dong Zhentang led the 5th Red Army to win the title of "tieliu guard".

Character evaluation

At the memorial service for the martyr Dong Zhentang, Mao Zedong said affectionately that "Lu Yao knows horsepower" and Dong Zhentang is "a comrade who is resolute in revolution". In the collection of Long March paintings published by Comrade Huang Zhen in 1938, there is a poem written by Comrade Wei traditional about Dong Zhentang: "the head of the army, Dong Zhentang, the soldier is magnificent, the people respect him, and he never leaves his gun." On August 3, 1985, when Hu Yaobang, then general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, came to Gaotai martyrs' cemetery from Zhangye, he said, "Dong Zhentang is a talented person and a good comrade." In September 2009, Dong Zhentang was selected as "100 heroes and models who have made outstanding contributions to the founding of new China" by 11 departments including the Central Propaganda Department and the central organization department

Commemoration of later generations

Story Gallery

The exhibition hall of Dong Zhentang's deeds began to be built in 2005 and opened to the public in October 2006. The building area is 782 square meters, with a preface hall and a main hall, totaling more than 500 square meters. The bust of Dong Zhentang and the handwritten characters of Mao Zedong, "comrades of resolute revolution" stand in the preface hall.

Former residence of Dong Zhentang

it is located in xilijiazhuang, Xinhe County, Xingtai City. A newly built highway can reach it directly. On the basis of respecting the original historical appearance, Xinhe County renovated the former residence of general Dong Zhentang. This is the place where Dong Zhentang was born. Tourists from inside and outside the province often come to visit and appreciate the farm life of the general in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China.

Dong Zhentang tomb

It is a cultural relic protection unit in Xinhe County, Xingtai City. Here lies Dong Zhentang's widow Jia Mingyu, his flesh and blood compatriots and ancestors. After repair, a monument to general Dong Zhentang was set up in the cemetery. The monument is tall and broad, engraved with a brief introduction of Dong Zhentang's life.

Dong Zhentang Memorial

In 1957, Gaotai martyrs cemetery was built. In the cemetery, "Comrade Dong Zhentang monument" and "cemetery of the martyrs of the Fifth Army of the Chinese workers' and peasants' Red Army" were built. The couplets on the pillars of the memorial Pavilion of Dong Zhen hall in the park are: the heroic spirit of Ningdu is here for thousands of years, and the magnificent style of the high platform is passed on forever. The front of the monument inside the pavilion is engraved with the official script "Comrade Dong Zhentang monument", and the north is engraved with more than 360 words "biography of martyrs Dong Zhentang".

Dong Zhentang tomb

Located in the cemetery of martyrs in Gaotai County, Zhangye City, Gansu Province, in January 1937, after occupying Gaotai County, Gansu Province, Dong Zhentang was surrounded by more than 20000 people from the mabufang Department of the Kuomintang. Dong Zhentang and more than 3000 soldiers died in martyrdom. Dong Zhentang was buried in the place where he died.

On the anniversary of the founding of the army

In 1962, Ye Jianying wrote a series of commemorating the anniversary of the founding of the army to praise Dong Zhentang: the hero died on the wrong road, which made me deeply cherish Dong Zhentang. Ape, crane, sand and insect, the high platform is shining for you.

Gao Tai's inscription praises Dong Yang

In 1986, Wei Zhongtong, former president of the Academy of art of the PLA, wrote an inscription in Gaotai martyrs' cemetery on August 30 and wrote a poem "Comrade Dong Zhentang and Yang Keming forever": in the past, he said that he would set up a high platform for lectures, but he did not expect that the city would collapse and mourn. Dong Yang's head was thrown away in a bloody battle, especially in memory.

Praise of seven temperament Poems

On January 23, 1988, Chen Jing, a veteran of the Red Army, wrote down a poem "Qilu · Gaotai nostalgia" to praise Dong Zhentang. The poem is: searching hard by the Bank of Heishui River, unforgettable

Chinese PinYin : Dong Zhen Tang