·周 (盛传)公祠

        小站练兵是上自清光绪元年 (1875),淮军著名将领周盛传率领盛字军在小站练兵,下至1920年,段祺瑞在小站训练的振武军被遣散,近半个世纪的一段史实。
        周盛传所统盛字军 (简称盛军),俗称老盛军,原为李鸿章的抚标亲兵,从咸丰三年(1853)到同治九年(1870),转战于江苏、河南、安徽、山东、河北、陕西等地,完成了清廷镇压太平军、捻军、回民起义军的多次使命,是李鸿章所部各路淮军中的主力。
        同治九年 (1870)秋,直隶总督兼北洋大臣李鸿章,调周盛传为天津镇总兵,帅盛军屯卫畿辅; 转年,盛军移驻青县马厂; 同治十二年(1873),盛军修建新城炮台,为了往来方便,于马厂至新城之间,铺垫了马(厂)新(城)大道,长140华里,沿大道设立驿站,10里一小站,40里一大站,共设小站11所,大站4所。
        光绪元年 (1875)二月,盛军除留马队驻马厂外,其它各营移屯潦水套,在潘永安坟地之小站的北侧设 “亲军营” ,以亲军营为中心,布设营盘共18座,与新城炮台相望,南扼祁(岐)口,东控大沽,遥相呼应,以张远势。
        盛军移屯小站的马步兵共13个营,共约18700人; 另外,还领唐仁廉部仁字营军队两个营(因为唐仁廉外调通永镇)。
        新驻营地本是海滨荒滩,士兵购买东西要到10里以外地方,不利管理。为此,在潘永安坟地之小站的东侧、亲军营之南侧筑城,建立了新的城镇命名新农镇 (或称兴农镇,今小站镇)。
        新农镇东西北3面开门,城内设东西走向的“行营买卖街” 。此后,迁民来垦田领种,新农镇成为小站一带的贸易中心。另外,又让兵勇开垦屯种,致使这里成为五方杂处之地。于是将新农镇外西南方1公里处的全神庙改为新农寺,建立盛军屯田会馆(今会馆村),共计80多楹房间,作为集事、娱乐场所。
        盛军购买西洋武器,训练中枪炮打得准的发给功牌;还挑选精壮士兵参加李鸿章亲阅的 “悬靶考试” ,300步全中或打得好的,给以奖赏。光绪三年(1877),由于饷源不济,各军统一减员二成,光绪九年(1883)八月,又予以补足。
        周盛传采取 “寓兵于农”的练兵策略,率将士在西起马厂东到大沽的辽阔土地上,挖渠开沟,建闸修桥,以优良水质刷咸洗碱,营田种稻,先后开垦11000多亩稻田,使百里荒圹斥卤之地变成 “北国鱼米之乡” ; 光绪元年(1875),还购置外洋火轮水车 (燃煤动力水车)4架,这是天津使用机械抽水机之始。并且实现了南稻北移,培育成功了名扬中外的小站稻,为小站的发展奠定了基础。
        光绪十年(1884),中法战争爆发,周盛传之兄周盛波,奉诏招募淮勇5000人,赴小站防备训练。转年,周盛传病故,周盛波统帅盛军继续屯垦、训练,扩建小站镇街。光绪十四年(1888),周盛波也病故,盛军由卫汝贵统帅。光绪二十年(1894),中日甲午战争中,盛军全军覆没。
        清朝末年,为纪念周盛传兄弟,在小站镇会馆村建周公祠。为市级文物保护单位。
        Xiaozhan is an ancient town located in the south ofTianjin. Its long history can be traced back to a beach inTang Dynasty.
        Army training in Xiaozhan was an event inmodern China. It lasted about half a century from ZhouShengchuan,general of Huai Army,training army in1875 to Duan Qirui`s Zhenwu Army dissolved in 1920.
        The Sheng Army was led by Zhou Shengchuan,who was the former bodyguard of Governor-GeneralLi Hongzhang. It made up of the backbone of Li`s HuaiArmy,which squashed the insurgences by the TaipingHeavenly Kingdom,Nian Rebels and Hui Rebellion inJiangsu,Henan,Anhui,Shandong,Hebei and Shanxiprovinces from 1853 to 1870.
        In the spring of 1870 (the ninth year of EmperorTongzhi),Li Hongzhang,Governor-General of Zhili andBeiyang Minister,appointed Zhou as Commander-in-Chief of Tianjin to be in charge of the Sheng Army. In1870,the Sheng Army re-stationed in the Machang ofQing County. In 1873,Sheng Army built emplacementsin the the New City and a 140-kilometres Maxin roadfrom Ma Chang to New City. Beside the road,there wasa small post every 5 kilometres and a large post every 20kilometres. Small posts totalled 11 and 4 large posts.
        In 1875 (the first year of Emperor Guangxu),theSheng Army,except calvary in Machang,moved toLiaoshuitao. The bodyguard barrack was built in thenorth of Xiaozhan near the tomb of Pan Ying`an. Aroundthe bodyguard barrack,17 barracks were built. All the 18barracks echoed with the emplacements in the New City,which guarded Qikou in the south and Dagu in the east.
        The infantry and calvary of the Sheng Armymoving to Xiaozhan was 13 barracks,which totalled18,700 with 1,440 soldiers in one barrack. Besides theabove,Kang Renlian led two barracks of Ren Army inTongying Town.
        The new barracks were located beside the coastwith few residence and no business. The soldiers had togo shopping 5 kilometers away,which was difficult tomanage. Therefore,a new town named Xinnong Town(or Xingnong Town) was built to the south of BodyguardBarrack and the east of Pan Ying`an`s tomb.
        Xinnong Town had three gates in the north,eastand west and a west-east "Business Street for Barrack".Later,more and more peasants were moved to Xinnongtown,which made it the commercial center of Xiaozhan.The soldiers also cultivated land,so Xinnong townbecame a place with people from everywhere. Onekilometer to the south-east of Xinnong town,a fane wasreverted to Xinnong Temple. An assembly hall of theSheng Army was also built with more than 80 rooms forgathering and entertainment.
        The Sheng Army bought western weapons andhonored the sharp-shooters. It also chose quality soldiersto attend shooting examinations held by Li Hongzhang.Those who could or nearly could hit the target 300walks away were awarded. In 1877,the soldiers`saccommodation became insufficient,so 20 per cent ofthe forces were reduced.
        Zhou Shengchuan adopted the strategy of self-support by letting the soldiers cultivate land. From1875 to 1880,he led his army dug ditches,built bridgesand watered fields to grow rice on the vast land fromMachang to Dagu. More than 11,000 mu of rice paddywas cultivated,which were called "the land of fish andrice in North China". In 1875,4 water pumps poweredby coal were bought from overseas,which were thefirst machine pumps used in Tianjin. They even bredXiaozhan Rice in North China,which could only growin South China. They also fought flood and relieved thevictims of natural calamity. All of these stashed the basisfor the development of Xiaozhan as a historical town.
        In 1884,the Sino-France War broke out. ZhouShengbo,Zhou Shengchuan`s brother,recruited5,000 soldiers in Anhui Province and sent them toXiaozhan for training. In 1885,Zhou Shengchuandied. Zhou Shengbo continued to lead the army forcultivating lands,training,and enlarging roads. In1888,Zhou Shengbo also died. The Sheng Army wasthen led by Wei Rugui. In 1894,the Sheng Army wasoverwhelmingly defeated during the Sino-Japanese War.
        In the end of Qing Dynasty,to memorize the Zhoubrothers,local people constructed Zhou`s AncestralTemple near Xiaozhan`s assembly hall. It is listed as amunicipal cultural relic of Tianjin now.

        

·周盛传塑像