Xibaipo

Xibaipo (西柏坡) was a small village located in Pingshan County, Hebei Province, China, that served as the final headquarters of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) before their victory in the Chinese Civil War in 1949.

From May 1948 to March 1949, Xibaipo was the center of command where Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, and Ren Bishi formulated and directed the key military campaigns that led to the defeat of the Kuomintang (Nationalist) government. These campaigns included the Liaoshen Campaign, the Huaihai Campaign, and the Pingjin Campaign, collectively known as the "Three Great Campaigns."

Significant events that took place in Xibaipo include:

• The September Conference (September 1948): At this conference, the CPC leadership finalized the strategy to transition from guerrilla warfare to decisive strategic offensives against the Kuomintang.
• The Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee of the CPC (March 1949): This meeting outlined the CPC's policies and principles for governing China after their anticipated victory. It is particularly remembered for Mao Zedong's famous warning against the "sugar-coated bullets" of bourgeois ideology, emphasizing the need to maintain revolutionary vigilance and avoid corruption.

Xibaipo holds considerable symbolic significance in Chinese Communist history. It is seen as the place where the CPC leadership prepared for and ultimately secured their victory in the Chinese Civil War, laying the foundation for the establishment of the People's Republic of China. Today, Xibaipo is a national historical site and a popular destination for tourists, particularly those interested in learning about the history of the Chinese Communist Revolution. It serves as a memorial and educational center, highlighting the CPC's revolutionary past and the principles upon which the party was founded.