The Art of the Party: Battle of Pingxing Pass

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This woodcut print, “Battle of Pingxing Pass,” was created by Chinese artist Jiang Feng in 1938.

It depicts the first major victory for the Communist army in its fight against Japanese invaders.

In September of 1937, the 5th Division of the Japanese North China Area Army rapidly approached the Inner Great Wall.

Japanese troops occupied the cities of Cangzhou and Baoding in north China’s Hebei Province and went westward into neighboring Shanxi Province, gathering forces for an attack at Pingxing Pass, a narrow pass guarded by Chinese troops.

The battle broke out on Sept. 23. Familiar with the local mountains, Communist troops hid on the cliffs and successfully cut off the enemy’s logistic line, killing more than 1,000 Japanese troops in an ambush.

The victory in Pingxing Pass shattered the myth that the Japanese were invincible. It greatly boosted morale and confidence among Chinese armed forces as well as civilians.

It also strengthened the reputation of the Communist Party and the Eighth Route Army and drew praise from the international community.

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