1in the autumn of 938, Jiang Qixian, First Deputy Minister of Health of the Central Military Commission, appointed Li Weizhen, Minister of Medicinal Materials Department, to organize a pharmaceutical factory to solve the problem of drug shortage in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region. At that time, Li Fuchun, who was in charge of the central financial work, set aside 5,000 yuan from the relief money given by Soong Ching Ling Patriotic Foundation to the Shensi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region as the fund for setting up the factory. Subsequently, it received several trucks and medical equipment transferred from Hong Kong.
1June, 939, the Eighth Route Army Sanitary Materials Factory (also known as the Eighth Route Army Pharmaceutical Factory) was formally established in Jiayuan Village, Qingshuiyuan Road, Chishui County (now Xunyi County) in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region, with Li Weizhen as the director and a Chinese medicine department to produce pills, powders, ointments and tablets. The western medicine department produces tincture, water, ointment and injection. The Ministry of Health produces gauze, absorbent cotton and first aid kits. This factory produces more than 20 kinds of medicines and sanitary materials. In June, the factory moved to Xihekou, Zhuanyaowan Town, Ansai County. At that time, there were 53 employees, including 1 tablet press, 3 pill screens, injection manufacturing tools, 1 cotton machine and 2 tincture leaking barrels. The factory is divided into western medicine department, Chinese medicine department, materials department, manufacturing department, education department, laboratory, research room and warehouse. It mainly produces injections, tablets, cotton wool, gauze and Chinese patent medicines, and successfully produces urgently needed drugs such as alcohol, sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, baking soda and atropine. These drugs effectively solved or alleviated the urgent need for drugs by the military and civilians in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia border region and played an important role in breaking the enemy blockade. 1943, Li Weizhen was awarded the title of Labor Hero in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region, and was commended three times, with certificates and medals awarded.
Mao Zedong and the CPC Central Committee attached great importance to the Eighth Route Army Pharmaceutical Factory. 1940 in April, Zhu De, Zhang Dingcheng, Xu Teli and other central leaders inspected the pharmaceutical factory and wrote their own inscriptions. 194 1 April, Rao Zhengxi, Vice Minister of Health of the Military Commission, and consultant Ma visited the pharmaceutical factory and handed them over to Zhu De, Zhang Wentian and other central leading comrades for inscription. Chairman Mao Zedong's inscription reads: "Medicine is one of the conditions for fearlessly defeating the enemy." Zhu De's inscription is: "Strengthen unity, work hard to produce, make more medicines, transport them to the front, cure the soldiers and win great victories." Since then, the factory has rapidly developed into a comprehensive pharmaceutical factory integrating production, scientific research and teaching with Chinese and western medicines, sanitary materials and packaging materials.
The Eighth Route Army Pharmaceutical Factory is the first pharmaceutical enterprise founded by China and the army.
There are only some earth holes left in the old site, which are unused and poorly preserved. Now there is a sign monument erected. At that time, a French-made11000 chemical analysis balance, March Dan and calcium lactate tablets produced during the Anti-Japanese War were escorted back from Hong Kong by soldiers with their blood and lives, and now they are in China People's Revolutionary Military Museum.
Xihekou Village: Xihekou Village