Victory Memorial Hall of Anti-Japanese War in Kunming
Chinese Name: 昆明抗战胜利纪念堂
English Name: Victory Memorial Hall of Anti-Japanese War in Kunming
Overview
Victory Memorial Hall of the War of Resistance Against Japan is located in the Beiguanghua Street of Wuhua District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province. It was completed in the 35th year of the Republic of China (1946).
Originally the site of the Governor-General’s Office of Yunnan and Guizhou during the Qing Dynasty, the Victory Memorial Hall features a palace-style architectural design that combines Chinese and Western elements. The structure is well-organized, with the main hall’s layout resembling an aircraft, and the overall design, along with the circular buildings in Yunrui Park and on both sides of Yunrui East and West Roads, forms a shape that symbolizes joy in the victory of the war. It is a significant historical memorial building in Yunnan.
The Victory Memorial Hall has been approved to serve as a museum, covering an area of approximately 30 acres. It consists of three parts: the main memorial building, the People’s Hero Monument, and the Exhibition Hall of the History of the Yunnan People’s Revolutionary Struggle. The hall embodies the unique spiritual values, ways of thinking, and imagination of the Chinese nation, reflecting its vitality and creativity. It holds significant historical, artistic, and scientific appreciation values, playing a critical role in inheriting and promoting the excellent cultural traditions of the nation, enhancing national unity, maintaining national integrity, strengthening national self-confidence and cohesion, and advancing the construction of socialist spiritual civilization.
In the 34th year of the Republic of China (1945), plans were initiated to construct the Victory Memorial Hall; it was completed in the 35th year (1946).
In December 1950, the first representatives’ meeting of various sectors of Yunnan Province decided to rename “Victory Hall” to “People’s Victory Hall” and to establish the “People’s Hero Monument.”
In 1951, the foundation for the Yunnan People’s Hero Monument was laid. On February 24, 1995, the Yunnan People’s Hero Monument and the Exhibition Hall of the History of the Yunnan People’s Revolutionary Struggle were completed in the square in front of the Victory Hall and were opened to the public for free.
On May 25, 2006, the State Council approved the Victory Memorial Hall as a national key cultural relic protection unit, and it was renamed again to “Victory Memorial Hall of the War of Resistance Against Japan.” In March 2019, it was approved by the Yunnan Provincial Government as the Victory Memorial Hall Museum of the War of Resistance Against Japan.
Architectural Layout
The Victory Memorial Hall originally served as the site of the Governor-General’s Office during the Qing Dynasty and features a palace-style architecture that harmoniously blends Chinese and Western styles. The design is structured rigorously, and the plan of the main hall takes the shape of a fighter aircraft. In a symmetrical layout, the functional areas consist of a foyer (including a main hall and two side halls) and a large central hall, which is a rare spacious structure for its time, complemented by auxiliary rooms. The façade showcases a combination of Chinese and Western architectural styles, with attractive and elegant designs. Parts of the roof feature traditional Chinese single-eaved hip roofs, with half-arch eaves and upturned corners, while the white marble railings reflect traditional Qing-style craftsmanship.
Main Building
The main building of the Victory Memorial Hall has a construction area of approximately 4,600 square meters, accommodating around 950 people in the main hall and about 60 in the conference room, which can also be used as a classroom. In the southeast corner, there is a reading room named “Victory Reading Room,” with over 60 square meters of space and more than 40 study seats. The reading room features a carefully selected collection of nearly 1,500 books, including red-themed publications, popular science books, classic social sciences, foreign language periodicals, and quality cultural and creative works, providing a place for discussion and exchange during themed activities for party units, while also offering a great learning platform for the general public and party members.
The architecture of the Victory Memorial Hall effectively utilizes the local terrain, with a compact overall layout that presents a plan in the shape of an American fighter jet. It consists of three functional segments: the foyer (main entrance and two side halls), the spacious central hall, and additional ancillary rooms. The design is characterized by a blend of Chinese and Western architectural styles, presenting an aesthetically pleasing and dignified appearance. The hall primarily employs traditional local materials such as wood, brick, stone, and specially designed large tiles, with the base and railings made of white marble.
Yunnan People’s Hero Monument and Exhibition Hall
The Yunnan People’s Hero Monument and Exhibition Hall cover an area of over 2,000 square meters and can accommodate around 200 visitors at a time. The monument stands approximately 27 meters tall and is square-shaped. The exhibition area beneath the monument’s base, covering about 1,300 square meters, features displays on the history of revolutionary struggles in Yunnan, while the monument’s base is adorned with bas-reliefs reflecting the struggle history of the people of Yunnan.
Value and Significance
The Victory Memorial Hall encapsulates the unique spiritual values, thought patterns, and imagination of the Chinese nation, embodying its vitality and creativity. It holds high appreciation values in terms of history, art, and science and plays an essential role in inheriting and promoting excellent cultural traditions, fostering national unity, maintaining national integrity, enhancing national self-confidence and cohesion, and advancing the construction of socialist spiritual civilization, making it of profound significance.
