The Beijing–Hankou railway workers' strike of 1923, also known as the February 7th strike, was an important event involving this railway.Beijing–Hankou Railway Workers' Strike 1923 By the end of 1922, 16 workers' unions had been established on the Jing-Han Railway. A ceremony to establish the Federation of Workers' Unions of the Beijing–Hankou Railway was held on February 1, 1923. However, warlord Wu Peifu sent his military police to sabotage the meeting. The Federation protested, and decided on a major strike on February 4, 1923, and relocated its office to Jiang'an, in the city of Hankou. The strike took place on February 7. Wu Peifu sent his troops to besiege the Workers' Union of Jiang'an. The chief of the Jiang'an Workers' Union (Lin Xiangqian) was arrested, and subsequently executed. Workers' movements in Changxindian, Zhengzhou, Baoding, and Gaobeidian were also put down. Union members wore badges at the strike – these were inscribed 江岸京漢鐵路工會會員證勞工神聖 (Member's badge of the Jiang'an Jing-Han Railway Union. Labour is sacred).The badge is known in Chinese as 江岸京汉铁路工会会员证; they are rare, only about 10 specimens are known, including one in the China Revolutionary Army Museum. Reproductions were made by the Changxindian Memorial Museum in 1953.
