Source: CRI

07-16-2007 16:42

Jinggangshan city (Jinggangshan shi), also known as Ciping, is located in the southwest of Jiangxi Province, near the border with Hunan. This remote region is famous in China as the area where a young Mao Zedong and other communist leaders set up the rural Jiangxi Soviet, an outpost against Nationalist (Guomindang) suppression. It was from here, after the People's Liberation Army troops, led by Zhu De and Zhou Enlai, fled here from Nanchang, that the epic Long March (1934-1936) was to begin. This group were to advance, harried by Guomindang troops and bandits, on a circuitous route through some of China's harshest regions, finally arriving in the little town of Yan'an, northern Shaanxi.

Most of the town has now been set up for tourism, with many hotels and dining facilities, and as a patriotism education center. Some of this is worth visiting, since the "city" has a rural charm, and the sights are propagandorially interesting. These include the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Museum (Jinggangshan gemin bowuguan), that used to house the Red Army Dormitory (Gemin jiuju) and Mao's House (Mao zedong guju), and the Former Revolutionary Headquarters (Gemin jiuzhiqun), the communist command center in 1927-28.

It is the sights out of town that are of most interest, however, up in the mountains. This is a wild area, that is full of walking and hiking trails and the chance to experience a little of what the communists must have lived like. Maps of the area, not overly useful, can be bought from the bookstore of the Cuihui Hotel at Hongjun nanlu. Tours or cars can be booked through local hotels or through China Travel Service (Zhongguo luxingshe, Tel: 0792-6552504). Probably the best of the sights for rural walking and beautiful scenery are the Five Dragon Pools (Wulong tan), about 10km northwest of town, although the higher area, the Five Finger Peaks (Wuzhi feng), also known as Jinggangshan, are better known.

How to get there: Bus is the best way to get to and from the mountain. There are daily buses between Jinggangshan and Nanchang daily (8hrs). There are also buses to/from Ganzhou, Henyang and Changsha. The Jinggangshan bus station is in the northeast of town.

Best time to visit: The weather in the Jinggangshan area is cold even in March and April. May is the best season to visit Jinggangshan, when trees are green and azalea's are in blossom.

 

Editor:Chen Ge