Martyrs 'Monument under the red old fragrant maple tree

Walking into Guilin's Patriotic Education Base-Seven Star Scenic Area, you will start a "red journey" Photo: Liu Guoxiong

In late December 2020, I entered the Guilin Seven Star Scenic Area. After walking through the ancient flower bridge, I saw green trees and some interesting sculptures. Further ahead is a maple forest, the leaves are all red. It's so beautiful, but the maple trunks here are not thick. Further ahead is Fragrant Maple Square. The Fragrant Maple trees here are more attractive. There are several fragrant maple trees more than 300 years old, which are thick and tall, and their leaves have all turned red. It's like flames. Become a beautiful scenery in the park.

On the right under the fragrant maple tree is the Martyrs Monument. On the left, there is the Memorial Tower and Tomb of Martyrs Chen Guang. Further forward are the tombs of the eight hundred heroes. Therefore, Guilin Seven Star Scenic Area is also a base for patriotism education.

Martyr Chen Guang Memorial Tower is a silver-gray memorial tower, about 7 or 8 meters high. The tower body is square shaped with a bright red five-pointed star on the top. The red letter on the front of the tower body reads "Martyr Chen Guang Memorial Tower". The base of the tower is divided into two floors, the lower layer is a five-pointed star, and the second layer is a square column. The front is engraved with the life history of martyr Chen Guang, and the other three sides are engraved with inscriptions from leading comrades such as He Wei, Guo Weiren, Duan Yuanzhong and Wang Quanguo. Behind the memorial tower is a red tomb of martyr Chen Guang. The tomb is circular and constructed of concrete washed stone rice. The tower and tomb are on three steps, surrounded by an undulating fence.

Here, we bowed three times to the Memorial Tower of Martyr Chen Guang. After that, the commentator introduced us to the deeds of Martyr Chen Guang. Chen Guang joined the Communist Party of China in 1939, was sent to Liuzhou, Guangxi to lead the anti-Japanese work in 1943, and was transferred to Guidong District in 1947. Commissioner, responsible for carrying out underground work in Babu, Hexian, Pingle, and Huaiji areas. In October of the same year, he was transferred to the post of Secretary of the Working Committee of Guilin City, responsible for the work of opening up the underground party in Guilin, establishing the Guilin Working Committee of the Communist Party of China, and leading the guerrillas in northern Guangxi. On October 5, 1949, Chen Guang was arrested for betraying a traitor and was detained in prison for more than a month. He was severely tortured and remained unyielding. On November 11, 11 days before the liberation of Guilin, he was killed by the Kuomintang reactionaries near the Guilin North Railway Station railway. At the end of 1950, the People's Government of Guilin City finally found the remains of martyr Chen Guang after various investigations. On January 14, 1951, he was buried under the Qixing Rock, where a tomb and tower were built, and inscriptions were passed down. In 1966, it was announced as a cultural relics protection unit in Guilin City. In November 1993, the tomb of Martyr Chen Guang and the memorial tower were identified as the first batch of patriotic education bases by Guilin City.

Now, the maple leaves of the ancient maple trees around the Memorial Tower of Martyr Chen Guang are all red. The ever-dying red maple blossoms bloom with red power, as if witnessing the war years, and it is so shining.

The sculpture in the Seven Star Scenic Area should be making snacks

This sculpture is about traditional sports in Guangxi

Moving forward, I saw a maple forest with red leaves

What beautiful maple leaves

This is a vintage maple tree. The leaves look better when they look red.

Fragrant maple trees that have been around for more than 300 years

Fragrant maple tree is a monument to martyrs

Martyr Chen Guang Memorial Tower

Martyr Chen Guang Memorial Tower and Martyr Chen Guang Tomb

Bow three times to the Memorial Tower of Martyr Chen Guang