Machang Town, Shuyang County, Jiangsu Province

Machang town

Machang is located 23 kilometers east of Shuyang County. It has a history of more than 600 years. In the history of Chinese revolutionary struggle, Machang has a brilliant page. During the Anti Japanese War, this was the area where revolutionaries were active frequently. The first party branch of Shuyang County was born in Machang. The first county government of Shuyang County was also established in Mapeng village, Machang town. Liu Shaoqi once led the underground struggle in Dongnan village of Minzhu village. Machang is a land of heroes and an old revolutionary area. Chen Yi, Zhang Aiping, Li Yu, Li Yimeng and other proletarian revolutionaries of the older generation all lived and fought here.

It is understood that during the Anti Japanese War, under the organization and leadership of the Communist Party, the iron workers in the Machang area of the Huaihai Anti Japanese base produced a kind of imitation Hanyang rifle, which is called "Machang made" rifle. It was not only an important weapon for the main force of our army and local armed forces in Huaihai district to attack the Japanese aggressors, but also transported to the nearby Yanfu liberated area, Henan Anhui Soviet border area and Shandong Lunan Anti Japanese base area to support the local Anti Japanese struggle, which made a brilliant contribution in the history of Anti Japanese war.

In October 2019, Machang town was selected as one of the "Top 1000 towns with comprehensive strength in China in 2019".

brief introduction

Machang new town, a famous historical town in Huaihai Economic Zone, is located 23 kilometers east of Shuyang County. Machang new town covers an area of 84.36 square kilometers (2017), with 52 villages, 7 neighborhood committees, 45 administrative villages and 67648 people (2017). In 2013, it achieved a total revenue of 380 million yuan. Machang old town has an area of 2.6 square kilometers.

history

It is said that the cavalry troops of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, won the southern expedition. On the way to rest, they saw that the grass was fat, the water was sweet, and the climate was pleasant. So they raised their horses here. People called it "horse farm" when they saw many horses, and later evolved into "horse factory". It has a history of more than 600 years. Machang town has a long history. In the Qing Dynasty, Liu Qingyun, a well-known female poet and songwriter at home and abroad, lived here with her husband Qian Meipo. Her 24 famous works, such as "a copy of poems in the little Penglai fairy house" and "the legend of the little Penglai fairy house", were created in the "little Penglai fairy house" in the north of machangji town. Fei Baiye, a modern writer, a famous journalist and a senior member of the people's daily, was also born in Machang. He wrote a lot of works in his life. Good scenery in ten li, with Machang as the theme, was once popular during the Anti Japanese War and played an important role in promoting the victory of the war. Yang Jiajiang and black peony are also his famous novels.

During the war of resistance against Japan, the army factory was built in the hero's land

In the history of Chinese revolutionary struggle, Machang has a brilliant page. During the Anti Japanese War, this was the area where revolutionaries were active frequently. The first party branch of Shuyang County was born in Machang. The first county government of Shuyang County was also established in Mapeng village, Machang town. Liu Shaoqi once led the underground struggle in Dongnan village of Minzhu village. Machang is a land of heroes and an old revolutionary area. Chen Yi, Zhang Aiping, Li Yu, Li Yimeng and other proletarian revolutionaries of the older generation all lived and fought here. It is understood that as early as the middle of the pre Qing Dynasty, Machang was a place famous for its iron making. At the end of the reign of Emperor Guangxu, a local master surnamed Cui began to make earthen cannons, and gradually blacksmiths learned this craft. Xu Wenshi, an 80 year old member of the Machang neighborhood committee, was once a member of the Machang model team. According to him, "Machang made" originated in 1941. In February of that year, the ninth brigade of the third division of the New Fourth Army returned to the west of Huaihai district and officially opened up the northern Jiangsu base. In the early days of the establishment of the base area, it was very difficult for the newly developed local Anti Japanese forces. The newly established District brigade had more than 200 soldiers, but only more than 70 guns, and most of them had only one big knife. At this time, the third division of the New Fourth Army heard that there was a group of blacksmiths around Machang who could make guns, so it suggested that the district Party committee send someone to assist the local party organization, quickly organize the iron workers, and make guns to support the Anti Japanese war. In the spring of 1941, the iron industry committee of Machang was established. Wu Xichang and Yue Shouyan served as the president and vice president respectively. Jiang Jianying, who just graduated from Yancheng Anti Japanese university, is the instructor of the iron trade union. According to Xu Wenshi, at that time, the first thing the Machang iron workers started to imitate was the "Hanyang made" rifles, which were widely used. Under the condition of very simple equipment, the gun was made by hand. It takes about half a month for a skilled iron worker to build a gun. Later, with the continuous growth of the iron trade union, from the original 2300 to 7800, more than 400 guns were built in the first two months and supplied to the army and local Anti Japanese organizations.

The production of guns is the second largest in China

Xu Wenshi said that Yue Shouyan, the vice president of the iron Union, and Qiu Kaide, the iron worker, used their brains to make a "earth drilling machine" for drilling the barrel of a gun by combining a stone grinding plate and a round iron wheel, and the work efficiency was several times higher than before. At the same time, each branch has organized a "partnership group" with ten iron workers and eight iron workers as a group, which has implemented "one-stop production". The production efficiency has been greatly improved, and nearly 1000 guns have been produced in less than two months. By the end of 1941, Machang had manufactured more than 2000 brand-new rifles and repaired a large number of guns for the Eighth Route Army, the New Fourth Army and the local Anti Japanese armed forces. In early 1942, through more than one month's experiment, the iron union researched and manufactured the first light machine gun. A few months later, more than 20 light machine guns and two submachine guns were produced. Some of the branches also copied browning pistols, which were supported by the army and the local Anti Japanese armed forces. Since May 1943, Huaihai district has organized self-defense forces and militia to carry out mass guerrilla warfare. In order to arm as many people as possible, the iron trade union has produced a large number of simple weapons, the most of which are "two pout guns" (named for pouting the barrel downward when loading ammunition), also known as "single strike one". Although simple and crude, the "two pout guns" are one of the most trusted weapons of the militia. At the end of 1942, the Japanese puppet army "swept" the liberated areas, and the iron union was forced to withdraw from the Machang. In this situation, the iron trade union armed hundreds of iron workers who had withdrawn from the horse factory to form a "guerrilla arms factory". They put the red stove in the willow row or reed marshes, while other iron workers held tools and insisted on making guns on the move. When the enemy sweeps, the iron workers carry the stove and go; when the enemy retreats, the iron workers put down the stove and continue to build guns. the iron trade union insisted on dealing with the enemy in the countryside, smashed again and again the enemy's plot of offering a reward for arrest, sending secret agents to assassinate, decoying and disintegrating the iron workers' team, persecuting their families and so on, and always insisted on production. After the most difficult seven months, the situation finally improved. Under the attack of our army, the Japanese puppet army of Machang lost its stronghold and retreated to the county. The iron union returned to Machang successfully. It is understood that from the establishment of the iron union to the surrender of the Japanese aggressors in 1945, according to incomplete statistics, the Machang repaired more than 10000 guns of various types, built more than 7000 new rifles, and produced a large number of other guns and more than 5000 bayonets, ranking second only to the eighth Route Army Arsenal in terms of output, ranking second in all base areas in the country, which greatly supported the Anti Japanese war.

The only gun control law in history

with the development of the Anti Japanese situation, the management of military production by the district party committees and military divisions has been constantly standardized. On January 11, 1945, in order to strengthen management, prevent guns from flowing into the puppet areas, and ensure the combat effectiveness of the main force and local militia, the administrative measures for local made guns in Huaihai district was promulgated in the name of Huaihai administrative office. It is stipulated that gun manufacturers or iron industry cooperation groups should register with the local administration for Industry and commerce or its branches, and those who register enjoy the supply of coal and steel raw materials and interest free loans; they are not allowed to buy or sell guns without the approval of the Administration for Industry and commerce; other guns, no matter who they belong to, will be confiscated. It is understood that this is the only special gun control law in the history of the base areas. after the promulgation and implementation of the gun control law, the iron trade union carried out a centralized clean-up and reorganization of gun manufacturers, appropriately reduced production, improved quality, and actively prepared for the counter offensive. after the victory of the Anti Japanese War, our army's equipment was gradually improved, and "Machang made" rifles were finally withdrawn from the main equipment sequence and transferred to the local armed forces and militia, which continued to play a role in the subsequent war of liberation. Today, rifles made by horse factory are still preserved in the Chinese Revolutionary Military Museum in Beijing. Before and after the founding of the people's Republic of China, it was the site of Machang factory and township. In 1954, it was the first batch of towns in Shuyang, namely Shucheng town and Machang town. In 1958, the people's commune was established. In 1984, it was changed into Machang township. In 1986, it was withdrawn from the township and built into a town.

Economics

On the basis of the stable development of grain and oil, Machang town has made great efforts to develop diversified economy and cultivate various characteristic industries. The proportion of diversified economy has reached more than 60%. Machang town has built 10000 mu of rice and wheat per ton grain field, 44000 mu of vegetable replanting, interplanting and protected cultivation, 3.5 mu of efficient demonstration field, and 3.13 million square feet of edible fungi promotion area. There are 2 special farms and 3 sow breeding bases. At present, there are 18000 mu of forest, 200000 cubic meters of active trees and 26% of forest coverage.

traffic

Machang town has convenient transportation and elegant environment. Provincial highway 326 runs through the East and West, Liutang River and ChaiNan river run through the hinterland. To the East and West, each 12 km is connected by Ning Lian expressway, highway and Xinchang railway. It takes only 40 minutes from Machang to Lianyungang airport and port.

Get honor

In October 2019, Machang town was selected as one of the "Top 1000 towns with comprehensive strength in China in 2019". top 1000 towns with comprehensive strength in 2018