Gele Shan/Baigong Guan/SACO (Gele Hill)
Standing in a lovely setting with trees, shrubs, stone walkways, and a babbling brook, Baigong Guan was originally a Sichuan warlord's pied-a-terre, but it was taken over by the notoriously brutal Dai Li -- head of the Nationalist (KMT) secret police and guerrilla forces -- and turned into a prison in 1939. Two years later, the U.S. spy agency SACO (Sino-American Cooperation Organization), which trained secret agents for the KMT, housed its servicemen here. It reverted to a prison in 1945, and it was here that the KMT slaughtered several hundred Communists and dissidents before retreating to Taiwan in 1949. The incident is known as the Bloodbath of 11/27, and many locals still come here to pay homage on that date.
The wooden buildings that were used as a prison are open to visitors. Photos of prisoners are displayed on the walls with poems and excerpts from letters -- some in English translation -- reflecting the political idealism of an earlier age.
Note:This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
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| Hours | 8:30am-7pm | |
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| Location | Shapingba Qu (3.2km/2 miles west of Hongyan Cun) | |
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| Transportation | Bus: no. 210 | |
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| Prices | Admission ¥5 (65¢); 2 prisons ¥10 ($1.25); 2 prisons and Hongyan Hun Chenlie Guan ¥15 ($2) | |