Address: Inside Shinaoshan Forest Park, Yangquan city, Shanxi province Opening hours: 9 am to 5 pm Admission: Free
The monument at the Hundred Regiments Offensive Memorial Hall in Yangquan, Shanxi province [Photo/VCG]
Located atop Shinao Mountain, 10 kilometers southwest of downtown Yangquan in Shanxi province, the Hundred Regiments Offensive Monument rises into the sky like a sharp bayonet. This magnificent monument faces south and comprises a main stele, three auxiliary steles, a large circular sculpture, two inscribed steles, four beacon towers, and a 227-meter-long winding Great Wall-style structure.
In 1940, as the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) entered a stalemate phase, the Japanese invaders implemented a "cage policy" against the revolutionary base areas in North China, while simultaneously concentrating heavy forces on the main front, plotting to invade the southwest and northwest regions in an attempt to force China’s surrender.
At this critical moment, to deliver a powerful blow to the enemy, foil the Japanese invasion plans, secure a more favorable situation for the Chinese forces in North China, and influence the nationwide resistance, the Eighth Route Army mobilized 105 regiments—approximately 400,000 troops. Along a 2,500-kilometer front behind enemy lines in North China, they launched the famous Hundred Regiments Offensive, the largest campaign aimed at thoroughly destroying key points along the Zhengding–Taiyuan Railway, eliminating enemy forces, and cutting off this vital transportation line.
The Hundred Regiments Offensive Memorial Hall showcases the heroic history of the Hundred Regiments Offensive. The first floor features a wealth of historical materials, including digital guides and archival documents. The second floor brings the fierce battle on Shinao Mountain (Shinao shan) to life through the use of sound, lighting, multimedia effects, panoramic paintings, and large-scale sand models.
