One shiny day, I asked two friends to have an adventure with me to a place called “Peasant Movement Institute” or “Nong Jiang Suo” in Chinese. Every time we took the MTR, we always heard the name of this place mentioned as one of the stations. I was just curious to know what it was like. I was pretty sure there was something special about the site and I was right. When we arrived at the main entrance, only a few people were there including the ticket officers. There was no admission fee to enter the site. From a glimpse, the site looked like an old place and it seemed there was nothing special about it. Yes, it was just an old building but it played an important role in the history of Guangzhou’s revolution.
A Small lake inside the institute. You will find it right away once you enter the site.
Constructed in the 14th century at Zhongshan road, Guangzhou Peasant Movement Institute was established to commemorate the history of Guangzhou's revolution. The building was initially a former Confucian Temple or Panyu Academic Palace built in 1370 during the third year of the reign of Emperor Hong Wu of the Ming dynasty. However, none of the relics of the temple remains. It was then converted into a training center for young revolutionists from all over China.
The site was originally Panyu Academic Place as engraved on the wooden slab on the entrance (Panyu Xue Gong).
During the first cooperation between Kuomintang and Communist Party of China, the national revolutionary movement experienced a vigorous growth. In order to support the spread of peasant movement, the Sixth Session of Peasant Movement Institute was held in May 1926. Mao Ze Dong acted as both a leader and director of this institute from May to September 1926. There were 20 staff members overall and among them included Xiao Chunu, Zhou Enlai and Peng Pai. Peng Pai pioneered the idea to build the institute since like Mao he also believed that communist revolution would be successfully implemented if peasants were involved. Zhou En Lai also showed his support by becoming a tutor in the institute.
Around 327 young revolutionists in the institute received training, studied theories and methods of peasant movement, underwent strict military training and participated in social activities. Upon graduation, they were assigned to rural areas in China to educate masses especially the peasants, spearhead the idea of peasant campaign and lead them in their anti-imperialist and anti-feudal struggles. This action gave significant contributions to the development of Chinese revolution. There were altogether six training sessions had been held from July 1924 to September 1926, and there were 800 carders trained in total. Yet, the institute was closed in 1926 when there was a separation between the Nationalists and Communists. During the failed 1927 uprising, many students were killed and buried in the Martyrs Memorial Garden. The training institute was then opened as a commemorative site in the 50s with renovated lecture rooms and young revolutionaries' dormitories. Since then, people started to recognize the site as the "Mao Zedong Peasant Movement Institute".
In 1953, a committee was created to renovate and restore the former site of the training institute. In 1956, the site was founded and in 1957, the site was opened to the public. It is one of the major historical sites under the state protection that even adds to the history and beauty of China. Inside the memorial hall, there are 1,152 collections of historical relics, 2000 items of reproduction of historical relics, over 10,000 photos, 7,000 pieces of information materials and 10,000 books. The institute has several sections that consist of the main lecture hall, students' dormitories, cafeteria building and leadership quarters, which all of them are displayed in their original position.
This room served as an office for the officer on duty. Drillmasters of the military training took turns on duty and were responsible for imposing a military style of life. 
This was originally the Dacheng gate of the Academy of Panyu County and later was divided into the Department of Academic Affairs, the officer-on-duty and the Department of general affairs. The department of academic affairs was in charge of educational administration. Lu Chen was the appointed head and Xiao Chu Nu was a full-time instructor at the department. 
This used to be the Dacheng Hall of the Academy of Panyu county, and later became the lecture room. 21 instructors were appointed to give 25 courses. Mao Ze Dong gave lectures on “The issues of Chinese peasantry”, “Rural revolution”, and “Geography”, while Zhou En Lai on “The military and the peasantry movements”, Peng Pai on “The circumstances of the peasantry movements in Haifeng county and Dongjiang valley”, Xiao Chu Nu on “Imperialism”. At that time, important party and government officials and notable public figures were often invited by the institute as keynote speakers. 
This was the dining hall of the institute, originally known as the Chongsheng hall. The institute has formed a Mess Management Committee. The cadets handled their dining arrangement in a democratic way. According to different living conditions of cadets coming from different places in the north or south, and different national characteristics of Han, Mongolian, Hui and Zhuang nationalities, the mess cooks provided them with cooked rice and wheat-based foods. 
This department took charge of the military training of the cadets and consisted of one general drillmaster, two assistant drillmasters, and six unit leaders. Zhao Zi Xuan was appointed the general drillmaster, Huang Zhen Pan and Luo Huan Rong the assistant drillmaster. 
This was the winding corridor of the Academy of Panyu County, and later was converted into the cadets’ dormitory of the institute. Their bedding and firearms were provided by the institute. A very simple students’ dormitory, a typical of traditional Chinese bedrooms as shown in Kungfu movies.. hehe.. 
This was originally change room of the Academy of Panyu County, which was converted into Mao Ze Dong’s office. He was in charge of the institute. He used to prepare notes, grade homework, interview teachers or cadets, and edit a periodical entitled “The Peasants Symposium”. The daily necessities used by him were simple and inexpensive, which reflected his hard working lifestyle. In this place, there is a miniature of Mao Ze Dong and his family. The miniature shows how modest his life was. 
The granite statue of China’s great revolutionary leader, Mao Ze Dong. The statue shows how the Chinese are very respectful to him.
At the back of the institute there is a small peaceful garden
Before leaving the site, I grabbed a chance to take my last photo in front of the red gate.
Peasant Movement Institute is a good reminder for all leaders that young people have the power to establish or overthrow a country. So leaders, be wise in educating young people.
Sources:
Personal experience and additional information from other online articles
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