Xibaipo is a small cozy village nestled at the eastern foot of Taihang Mountain. The Hutuo River runs along one border of the village, with rich fertile soil by its riverbanks. General Nie Rongzhen once described the area around Xibaipo and neighboring Huangni and Guosu villages as "the Ukraine of the Jinchaji Region." Due to the construction of Gangnan Dam in 1958, 20 villages were relocated, including Xibaipo and Dongbaipo. This former base of the Party's Central Committee was relocated in 1970 to an area 500 m from the original site, and 57 meters higher. Xibaipo is now a mountain village with beautiful landscapes, overlooking the Gangnan Dam as it shimmers with its bluish ripples, snug against the Baipo Ridge topped with lush green arbors.

At the gate to the original site, you encounter a stone tablet carved with the words, "The Hebei Provincial Patriotic Education Base." A clay-hued enclosing wall helps to preserve the original appearance of the place.

Daily visitors first come upon the hospitable Comrade Dong Biwu's residence. Different types of trees and flowers are planted in the courtyard, blossoming Chinese roses and cherry-apple trees reminding us of the harvest seasons. Comrade Dong came to Xibaipo with Comrade Liu Shao-chi and Chu Teh in the early summer of 1947. As one of the five top leaders within the party, Dong Biwu, like the others, lived a very simple life. He slept on a bed made of clay and used a worn-out old blanket woven during the period of the Yan’an Production Campaign. A weaving loom is situated on the kang. As early as in Yan’an, Mr. Dong's spouse, Ms He Lianzhi was noted for her great skill at weaving and once even given title "Production Heroine." She continued to weave after arriving at Xibaipo. During her visits to the place after the founding of New China, she tried to operate the loom again. She also recalled the incident when Mr. Dong tried to learn how to weave at Xibaipo. Because he could only remember to pull the threads and forgot to turn the handle of the loom, the threads he wove were of different thickness. Mr. Dong recited a line of poetry to depict the situation: "twisting with palms and gripping with your fist, it is easier said than done."   

Comrade Liu Shao-chi was Mr. Dong's neighbor at the time. When he first arrived, the Party's Working Committee was residing on the eastern edge of the village. To avoid occupying too many peasants' houses, Comrade Liu Shao-chi and Command-in-Chief Chu shared one house, which had both front and back yards. Comrade Liu occupied the front yard, while Command-in-Chief Chu lived in the back yard. Various kinds of trees were planted in the yards, including peach, pear and date. Comrade Liu played an exemplary role by living a simple life. His documents case remained beside him from Yan’an to Xibaipo, and later in Beijing. Some very important documents and scripts were stored in the case, including "The Self-Cultivation of Communist Party Members" as well as the report that he delivered at the National Land Conference. He also kept his clothes in the documents case.  

On the east side of Comrade Liu's residence, on the west side of Mao Tse-tung’s residence were four rooms facing north. These were used as the offices of the Central Military Committee during the war. On the door, a plate says, "The Headquarter of the Chinese People's Liberation Army," inscribed by Comrade Yang Shangkun. Military maps covered the walls in the rooms. Behind the house, you will find an alarm bell hung on Baipo Ridge. You can only imagine how hectic the office must have been during the days of those decisive battles!

Command-in-Chief Chu and Vice-Chairman Chou often came to this office to listen to progress reports, analyze the war situation and recommend the newest strategies for Chairman Mao to review. The furnishings in this office were very simple, with only three large desks and a dozen wooden chairs. All this deeply impressed Mr. Huang Wei when he visited Xibaipo in 1975. He used to be the General of the Kuomintang's 12th regional army, and was arrested during the Huaihai Campaign.  

Comrade Mao Tse-tung's residence has both front and back yards. There are a millstone and a pigpen in the front yard, which Comrade Mao requested not to be demolished at the time. He believed that peasants could still use these facilities after he left. The spot under trees and next to the millstone was where Mao Tse-tung used to enjoy cool breeze and work with his fellow comrades. In the back yard, four rooms facing north were used as Mao Tse-tung's bedroom and offices. All the furnishings, including the sofa, tea table, desk, shelf, desk calendar,  brazier, demonstrate the simplicity of his life.  

To the east of Mao Tse-tung's former residence are the residences of Comrade Ren Bishi and Chou En-lai. In March 1947, Liu Shao-chi and Chu Teh  led an advance group of the Working Committee to relocate to Xibaipo. At the time, Mao Tse-tung, Chou En-lai and Ren Bishi remained in the Shanbei region to lead the majority of the Central Committee in commanding battles nationwide. It was not until May 1948 that they finally arrived at Xibaipo. At that time, even though Comrade Ren Bishi was the youngest among five Secretary-Generals of the Party, his health was severely impaired after being arrested twice. However, he continued to work for the common people with the spirit of an untiring camel. On his way to Xibaipo, the troops were caught in a snowstorm, and he had to climb the mountains by grasping onto a horse's tail.

Comrade Chou En-lai’s former residence is located at the furthest eastern edge. At the time, he was also concurrently holding the position of Chief of General Staff. He was incredibly busy and had to often stay up through the night, either reviewing documents or drafting new strategies. A picture is hung on the wall in his office, where he is seen concentrating on drafting a letter to Chairman Mao. The letter details how to defeat an enemy sneak attack on the Central Committee's station. 

Walking through the air-raid shelters, you encounter three Shanbei-cave-style rooms, built by comrades from the Shanbei area. They were originally built for Comrade Mao Tse-tung. Yet because of Command-in-Chief Chu's age, Mao Tse-tung gave them up to him. Command-in-Chief Chu then moved in from the front yard where Comrade Liu stayed. Much like the furnishings of most of other senior officials' rooms, you will find that most of the items in Chu's rooms are war trophies. In the living-room  are a set of metal table and chairs, gifts donated by Comrade Chen Yi, who captured them from Zhang Lingfu, Commander of the 74th  Division of Kuomintang's army, during the Menglianggu Battle in 1947. Command-in-Chief Chu had been used them during his time in Xibaipo. When the 2nd plenary Session of  the 7th Central Committee of CPC was convened, members of the Military Group, including Peng Dehuai, He Long, Chen Yi and Nie Rongzhen, always gathered around the table to discuss the progress of the war.  Twenty days before Command-in-Chief Chu passed away, he personally approved the donation of this set of table and chairs to Xibaipo. During his years in Xibaipo, not only did he take a lead role in the Working Committee with Comrade Liu Shao-chi, but he also commanded, with Comrade Mao Tse-tung, the Three Major Campaigns that laid a firm foundation for the birth of New China.

Not far from Comrade Chu's former residence is the former site where Mao Tse-tung and the Central Committee met with the Shanghai People's Peace delegation in former times. Members of this delegation included Yan Huiqing, Shao Lizi, Zhang Shizhao and Jing Yong. It was also at this location where Mao Tse-tung and Chou En-lai greeted General Fu Zuoyi and Deng Baoshan, and later Mr. Mikoyan, the representative of the Communist Party of the USSR.

Not far from here is the original site where  the 2nd plenary meeting of the 7th Central Committee of CPC was convened. It was the largest house in the central yard. The house was used to serve as a kitchen for the Central Committee and later transformed into a meeting hall. The pictures of Comrade Mao Tse-tung and Command-in-Chief Chu Teh  are hung above the platform, with the Party flags next to them. From March 5 to 13, 1949, the 2nd plenary meeting of the 7th Central Committee of CPC was convened here. Comrade Mao Tse-tung delivered a most momentous speech at the conference. The participants included 34 members of the Central Committee and 19 candidate members, basically representing the elite of our party and army. The conference passed a resolution that the Chinese revolution would shift its focus from the rural areas to the cities, with the latter taking a leadership role. China would be transformed from a society of a new democracy to that of socialism, and from an agricultural country to an industrial country. The conference laid out major tasks and approaches for their implementation, as well as mapped out the blueprint for a New China.  

The site of the September Conference is located to the south of the 2nd Plenary Session site. At the time, it was used as a dining hall for the Central Committee. On September 8, 1948, the Central Political Bureau held its enlarged membership meeting here. The participants included 7 members of the Bureau, 14 members and candidate members of the Central Committee, as well as 10 important members of staff. The meeting recorded the largest number of participants at a central level after the surrender of the Japanese. The theme of the meeting was established as "furthering the advance, increasing production, strengthening self-discipline, and striving for ultimate victory." The meeting reviewed the past, put forward the tasks and goals of the next stage, and prepared the Party to organize decisive battles in all aspects. 

Other rooms scattered in the central yard include the Office of Confidentiality, the Office of Policy Research and the primary school. All these facilities have been well preserved to maintain their original appearance.

Located to the south of the site is the Leaders' Sculpture Garden. It has six groups of sculpture portraying the six leading figures, i.e. Mao Tse-tung, Chu Teh, Liu Shao-chi, Chou En-lai, Ren Bishi, and Dong Biwu. It also has a collection of 30 poems, written by Mao Tse-tung and other revolutionary leaders and carved into stones in the garden. With a harmonious interplay of flowers, trees and sculpture, visitors are able to absorb the charismatic appeal of the great leaders while appreciating the beautiful scenery.