Since ancient times, the cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area have been part of the Lingnan region, linked by shared landscapes and bound together through fortune and adversity. During the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, many parts of Guangdong – including Guangzhou and Hong Kong – suffered devastating destruction as the cities fell one after another. Social order collapsed, civilians were displaced, and Hong Kong endured three years and eight months of darkness under Japanese Occupation. In the face of hardship, the people of Guangdong never gave up, one after another joined the resistance against Japanese Aggression. Among the South China Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Force led by the Chinese Communist Party, the Dongjiang Column of the Guangdong People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla (abbreviated as the Dongjiang Column) was the largest in scale. One of its units, the Hong Kong-Kowloon Brigade (the name was later changed in Chinese), was an armed anti-Japanese force based in Hong Kong. During the Japanese Occupation, the Hong Kong-Kowloon Brigade waged guerrilla warfare against the Japanese troops on many fronts – intelligence and communications with the allied forces, transport and supply, protection and rescue, and direct combat. It stood as a mainstay of Hong Kong’s wartime resistance, inspiring the population, sustaining hope through the darkest chapter in the city’s history, and making important contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. Eighty years have passed since our victory in the War of Resistance in 1945. At this important historical moment, revisiting the stories of the war allows its many intertwined threads to emerge vividly once more.
With the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Exchange and Collaboration on Archaeological and Cultural Heritage Amongst the Greater Bay Area in 2022 by the Development Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province and the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, the three regions jointly launched the first cross‑regional heritage trail of the Greater Bay Area – the Greater Bay Area Education Heritage Trail – in October 2024. The year 2025 marks the Eightieth Anniversary of Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. In this significant year, the three regions are deepening research, conservation, revitalisation and educational outreach related to the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and its associated historic buildings. Together, we have planned and launched the second heritage trail of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, namely the Greater Bay Area Dongjiang Column Heritage Trail, to enhance public understanding of the region’s wartime history.
The Antiquities and Monuments Office of the Development Bureau has added seven sites to the Hong Kong Section of the Greater Bay Area Dongjiang Column Heritage Trail: four graded historic buildings and three sites and memorial facilities closely associated with the Dongjiang Column’s wartime activities. Some served as liaison checkpoints or command centres of the Hong Kong-Kowloon Brigade, while others were established after the war to commemorate the heroes and martyrs of resistance. These sites reflect the heavy responsibilities shouldered by the Hong Kong-Kowloon Brigade and the sacrifices they made, embodying their patriotism and unyielding determination in defending the nation. Cantonese, Putonghua and English audio guides for the seven sites of the trail are now available on the Antiquities and Monuments Office website. Visitors may also access them by scanning the QR codes on the information plaques at each location.
The cross‑regional Greater Bay Area Dongjiang Column Heritage Trail brings together the strengths of the three regions. It invites the public to learn about the trials of the Japanese Occupation, to remember history, and to transform memories of the resistance into a driving force for safeguarding world peace. Ultimately, it allows the Greater Bay Area to continue moving towards the world with a stance that is both resilient and openly inclusive.
Peace never comes easy. The Greater Bay Area Dongjiang Column Heritage Trail (Hong Kong Section) is established not only to record the hardships endured and the sacrifices made by the Hong Kong-Kowloon Brigade during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, but also honour their unwavering patriotism and steadfast resolve in defending the nation. The selection of sites of the trail reflects a deep respect for peace, a commitment to remembering those who sacrificed their lives, and a thoughtful engagement with history. Looking ahead, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will continue to deepen exchange and cooperation, enriching the content of the Trail to enhance public understanding of history and culture, foster a sense of national pride, promote Chinese culture, and share China’s stories. It is hoped that the trail will serve as a platform for passing historical lessons, enabling every visitor to appreciate the value of peace, remember the past and move forward together.
December 2025