Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Site

The former wartime capital of the Chinese Communist Party from 1936 to 1948, where Mao Zedong consolidated power and defined the political and military doctrines that underpinned the eventual CCP victory in 1949.

Yan'an is one of the most politically significant cities in modern Chinese history. Following the Long March of 1934–35, the remnants of the Communist forces established their base here in the loess hills of northern Shaanxi, making the city the capital of the Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Region and the CCP's operational headquarters for twelve years.

The cave-dwelling compounds (yaodong) where the CCP leadership lived and worked during the Yan'an period are the primary visitor sites. Mao Zedong's residences at Yangjialing, Zaoyuan, and Wangjiaping — each used during different phases of the Yan'an period — are open to visitors as protected sites. The cave dwellings are cut into the loess cliff faces in the traditional northern Shaanxi manner: arched entrances, whitewashed interiors, and earthen kang beds. Some contain the actual desks, bookshelves, and maps used by Mao and other leaders.

The Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall provides the historical framework, with exhibits tracing the Long March, the Yan'an Rectification Movement (through which Mao consolidated ideological authority over the party), the production campaigns, and the military strategy that defeated the Nationalists. The collections include an impressive range of photographs, documents, weapons, and personal effects from the 1936–48 period.

The Pagoda Hill (Baota Shan) above the city, topped by a Tang Dynasty pagoda that became the visual symbol of the revolutionary base, provides the best panoramic view of Yan'an and its surrounding loess plateau.