Address: Baiyatai township, Lingqiu county, Datong city, Shanxi province Opening hours: 8 am to 6 pm Admission: 50 yuan ($6.93)/person
The Site of the Battle at Pingxingguan in Datong, Shanxi province [Photo/IC]
The Site of the Battle at Pingxingguan consists of the site of the Great Victory of Pingxingguan (or the Pingxingguan Ambush), a memorial hall, a monument, and a square honoring military commanders. Named after the ancient Great Wall pass of Pingxingguan, which is about five kilometers away, the battle site is situated in a natural ravine flanked by steep cliffs and towering mountains, some rising dozens of meters high, forming a strategically important terrain. A road winds through the area.
The Battle at Pingxingguan took place in mid-September 1937 and was part of the Battle of Taiyuan. The battle was fought between Japanese invaders and Chinese forces and stands as a notable example of cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China in resisting Japanese aggression, marked by a high degree of coordination.
This Great Victory of Pingxingguan was the first major victory won by the Eighth Route Army after their deployment, led by Lin Biao (1907-71), commander of the 115th Division. Acting on directives from the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, Lin and his troops set out in a critical moment and engaged in a fierce battle against part of Japan’s elite “Steel Army” — the 21st Brigade and transport convoy of Seishirō Itagaki’s 5th Division. The victory strongly supported the defensive operations of the main front in the Second War Zone under the warlord Yan Xishan’s command, delayed the Japanese strategic offensive, and disrupted their plan to outflank North China via the right wing along the Beijing-Baotou (or Beiping–Suiyuan) Railway.
The Pingxingguan Victory Memorial Hall was originally built in 1969 and underwent a major renovation and expansion in 2006. The main exhibition encompasses a preface hall, three separate exhibition units, and a diorama hall, making up a display area of 2,134 square meters. The memorial houses a large collection of valuable photographs, documents, and artifacts. The newly built Pingxingguan Victory Commanders’ Square, located in front of the new memorial hall, covers an area of about 5,000 square meters. The group sculptures on the square depict the key commanders who participated in the Battle at Pingxingguan.
