The Martyrs' Memorial Gardens were established
to commemorate those killed in the unsuccessful Communist uprising
of 1927.
In December 1927, a small group of communists attempted
to overthrow the Kuomintang Nationalists in Guangzhou. They established
the Canton Commune but were hopelessly outnumbered by the Nationalist
force and the uprising was quickly crushed. Over 5,000 people involved
in the uprising were swiftly killed or executed.
Many of those revolutionary martyrs are buried
beneath the lawns of this peaceful park. There is also a museum
in the gardens that has collections relating to Guangzhou’s revolutionary
history.
