SHENZHEN has its share of places that witnessed the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the construction of a modern and open China. Here are some sites selected by the Shenzhen Municipal Culture, Sports and Tourism Administration.

Former site of Dongjiang Guerrilla Headquarters

The former site of Dongjiang Guerrilla Headquarters is inside the Tuyang Community Kindergarten. It was an important rear base in the fight against the Japanese army in the Pearl River Delta.

Built in 1912, the site was formerly a Catholic church, said caretaker Wang Jin. In October 1938, the Japanese army landed at Daya Bay and occupied the area downstream of the Dongjiang River and Guangzhou. The Communist Party established several guerrilla bases in Guangdong Province, including the Huibao People’s Guerrilla Group and the Dongbaohui People’s Guerrilla Group. They were later reformed to become the Dongjiang Guerrillas and the headquarters was in the church.

“The main building was where guerrilla leaders, such as Zeng Sheng, Yin Linping and Wang Zuorao, worked and the chapel was the meeting and war room,” said Wang.

There were only about 10,000 soldiers in the guerrillas at that time, but they were involved in more than 1,400 battles, holding off about 20,000 Japanese soldiers. By the outbreak of the Pacific War, the guerrillas had saved more than 800 important people in Hong Kong, including He Xiangning, Liu Yazi, Mao Dun and Zou Taofen.

There are several other revolutionary tourist attractions such as Dongjiang Guerrilla Memorial Hall in Pingshan New Zone, the Chinese Cultural Celebrities’ Rescue Memorial Hall in Bao’an District and Dongjiang Memorial Pavilion in Longgang District.

Add: Tuyang Community, Kuichong Subdistrict, Longgang District (龙岗区葵涌街道土洋社区)

Buses: 364 (Tuyang Market stop)

Migrant Workers’ Museum

Shenzhen would not be a modern metropolis if it was not for migrant workers and the Migrant Workers’ Museum in Bao’an District is one of the best ways of paying tribute to their contribution.

The museum, in a small house in Shangwu Community, is the only museum in China built for migrant workers.

“This small courtyard was the former site of the city’s first processing company, Shangwu Yigao Electronics Factory,” said Li Jingwei, curator of the museum.

The museum contains the contracts for the first processing company signed in 1978 as well as the labor contracts, uniforms and tools of the first migrant workers.

Add: 6 Yonghe Road, Shangwu Community, Shiyan Subdistrict, Bao’an District (宝安区石岩街道上屋社区永和路6号)

Buses: 392, 855, 633, 795, 866, 759 (Shiyan Coach Station stop and Wanlian Store stop)

(Wang Yuanyuan)