{"word_count": 658, "character_count": 4346}
TheLong March of the CCP (1934-1935) 长征 might be one of the most famous episodes of thecommunist movement. Although only 7000 from 90.000 participants did survivethis huge act of withdrawal, the Long March still contributed to an enormous propagandisticand ideological success for Mao Zedong 毛泽东 (1893-1976) andhis close followers (Schmidt-Glintzer 2008: 203). In October 1935, the Long March ended, and the Communist Party had found a place, where it was safe from General Chiang Kaishek 蒋介石 (1887-1975) and his GMD-troops: in Yan’an 延安 in Shaanxi Province 陝西省. From October 1936 to March 1948, Yan’an had been the party headquarter of the CCP under its leader Mao Zedong 毛泽东 (1893-1976) (Beijing Rundschau 2000: 33). Opened in 1950, the Yan’an Revolutionary Memorial Museum 延安革命纪念 is one of the first Revolutionary Memorial Sites in China after the founding of the PRC in 1949 (Red Tourism). Duringthe years of the Cultural Revolution 文化大革命 (1966-1976), the Red Guards used Yan’an as a place ofpilgrimage wherefore in 1968, a new building for the memorial was built, whichis located in the small suburb Wangjiaping 王家坪. In 2006, the old museum has been demolished and abigger memorial was built becoming the site of today (Denton 2012: 262). Thenew exhibition hall mainly deals with years of the CCP and Mao Zedong in Yan’anand the way to the founding of the PRC in 1949. Accordingto Kirk Denton, the museum is divided into six thematic sections. The first fourare portraying the 13 -year- long stay of the CCP-leadership in Yan’an and itsideological impact for the Chinese communist movement. The official denotationsof these four exhibition sections are: “Endpoint of the Red Army Long March 红军长征的落脚点“, “Political Headquarters of the War of Resistance 抗日战争的政治指导中心“, “Experimental Area for the Model of New Democracy 新民主义的模范试验区“ and “Source of the Yan’an Spirit 延安精神的 发祥地”. Picture 1: The Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall Theother two showrooms “Establishment of Mao Zedong Thought in the GuidingPosition for the Whole Party 毛泽东思想在全党指导地位的确立” and“Starting Point for Grasping National Victory 夺取全国 胜利的出发点” are dedicated tothe aftermath of the years in Yan’an. These two chambers want to convey thatYan’an was an important step on the CCP’s road to “victory”. Another part of the memorial site is the Prefatory Hall. Here, bronze statues of Mao and other party leaders like PLA-marshal Zhu De 朱德 (1886-1976) or Zhou Enlai 周恩来 (1898-1976) can be found. Picture 2: The Prefatory Hall A further display of the museum is the so called “New Market”. It is a replica of a commercial street of Yan’an after it has been badly damaged by Japanese bombs. (Denton 2012: 265). Picture 3:  Exhibits in the "New Market "Althoughthe appearance of the museum varied a lot during the times because of severalrenovations and changes, the Yan’an Revolutionary Memorial Museum representsnearly 70 years of culture of remembrance. Picture 4: The New Market Thesite has been visited both in the Maoist and in the post-Maoist era. This fact constitutesan immense difference to other historical sites in modern China. Itwould have been unthinkable, that the birthplace of Liu Shaoqi 刘少奇 (1898-1969) would have been visited to the same extentduring the Cultural Revolution as it is visited today. Bibliography:Denton,Kirk A. (2014): Exhibiting the Past – Historical memory and the Politics ofMuseum in Postsocialist China. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press.Denton,Kirk A. (2012): “Yan’an as a site of memory in socialist and postsocialist China”.In: Matten, Marc Andre (Ed.): Places of Memory in Modern China – History, Politics,and Identity. Leiden: Brill. Pp. 233-283. “EineOde auf Yan’an”. In: Beijing Rundschau, Feb 22, 2000, Vol.08/2000,pp.33-34. Selden,Mark (1995): The Yenan Way in Revolutionary China. Cambridge (MA):Harvard University Press. Schmidt-Glintzer,Helwig (2008): Kleine Geschichte Chinas. München: C.H. Beck Verlag Websites: http://www.redtourism.com.cn/tris/front/zh_CN/spot_338.htmlList of Pictutes: Featured Image: The Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Museum (author: Marc Andre Matten) Picture 1: The Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall (author: Marc Andre Matten) Picture 2: The Prefatory Hall (author: Marc Andre Matten) Picture 3: Exhibits in the "New Market" (author: Marc Andre Matten) Picture 4: The New Market (author: Marc Andre Matten) 