Tuesday, September 29, 2015

RED HOLY LAND – GUTIAN CONGRESS [古田會議]

Red Holy Land – Gutian Congress is located in Gutian township, Longyan City,Fujian, China. It is known as one of the first Historical and Cultural to Education Base and the famous old revolutionary base area.
In Gutian, the predecessors of proletarian revolution including Mao Zedong, Zhu De and Chen Yi were engaged in revolutionary activities and the 9th Party Congress of the 4th Army of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army [Gutian Congress] was held successfully here at the end of December 1929, a milestone of the Chinese revolution in history.

Gutian Tourist Area has 84% forest coverage rate with rich natural and cultural resources as relics of Gutian Congress, pastoral scenery, Hakka folk customs and beautiful tales. It is a 4A Chinese tourism spot of China.


You can tour Gutian Tourist Area under 4 different tours:
Classic Red Nostalgia Tour 
- It embodies an inexhaustible spirit in the building group around the site of Gutian Congress. Recalling the eventful times over 85 years ago and cherishing the memory of the revolutionary martyrs and cultural relics of Gutian Congress – the Memorial Museum, Xiechengdian, Songyin Hall and Zhongxing Hall.

The site of Gutian Congress - this building is also known as 'Liao's Ancestral Hall' and 'The Shrine of Origins' was built in 1848.  It is a single storey building of quadrangle architecture , with brick and timber construction, with a gable and hip roof.   Gutian Congress was convened in December 28 and 29, 1929 at this house,  now designated as 'The important heritage site under State Protection in China.


Beautiful Rural Ecotourism Tour

- Enjoying the natural and cultural landscape in harmony as villages, farmland, streams, mountains, vegetable base, ecological tea plantations, orchards and bamboo forest and experiencing one day rural life as a farmer, mountain climbing and trekking.

Hakka Folk Culture Tour
- Experiencing the Hakka customs, old residence, ancestral hall and rice wine culture exposition park, participating in Hakka folk activities like dragon dance in the festival, pounding glutinous rice cake and cooking mugwort leaf pastry and staying with Hakka family.
Experiencing the Life of Red Army Tour
- The 4th Army of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army led by Mao Zedong and Zhu De was involved in revolutionary activities in Gutian between 1929 and 1930. All families in the villages around Gutian including Wulong Village were the garrison of the Red Army. The army and the people are one family. Visitors get to listen to the story and experience the life of the Red Army like hiking through the path, wearing soldier’s uniform, eating red rice and pumpkin soup for recalling the past suffering and thinking over the source of present happiness.
Gutian Congress Site - Police Station
The Chairman's Garden [Mao Zedong's Garden]
The Chairman's Garden, is where you will have a grandstand view of thriving pine trees, bamboo and mountains.  This is a miniature of the life story and achievements of one of China's greatest leaders and part of the greatest revolution once taking place in China.
The Red Army's Bridge and The General's Bridge
The Red Army's Bridge across Sanji stream is the only way to access the command and political department of the 4th Army of the Red Army and the site of Gutian Congress.  It was used as a resting place for sentry and soldiers on duty.  It is one of the Gutian revolutionary relics.
The General's Bridge originally known as the Bridge of Prestige, was renamed for commemorating generals attending the Gutian Congress in the site of Dewang Bridge.  The bridge stretches over Gutian stream converged by Baija Stream and Wulong Stream, flowing into Tingjiang River in Shanghang stream outlet.  It is a beautiful scenery line with the site of Gutian Congress [The red army outpost and red army bridge].
How To Get There:
Gutian is located in the traffic hub, accessing to Liancheng and Changting in the north of Jiangxi Province and Shanghang and Wuping in the south-west to Guangdong, and Longyan and Zhangping in the east of Xiamen.
By Car
- Xiamen - Longyan - Gutian via Xiamen-Chengdu Highway [200 km], journey takes about 3 and 1/2 hours;
- Fuzhou - Longyan - Gutian via Shenyang-Haikou Expressway [430 km], journey takes about 6 hours.
By China Railway High Speed Trains from Xiamen [1 and 1/2 hours/RMB 50] or Fuzhou [3 hours/RMB118].  Check schedule and fare online
By Bus from Longyan City to Gutian takes about 40 minutes.