Step Back in Time, Step Into History: Retracing the Long March Route into the Heart of China's Revolutionary Heritage

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the Red Army's Long March victory. The arduous journey of the Red Army soldiers in pursuit of faith and ideals has become a precious spiritual legacy, inspiring generations of Chinese people to bravely move forward and serving as a cultural story worth passing down through the ages.

Photo by Bastille Post

On the morning of May 27, the media delegation from Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area arrived in Yudu County, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, to begin the first stop of the themed interview series retracing the Long March route.

Yudu County: Start of the Red Army's Epic Journey

The delegation visited the Central Red Army Long March Starting Place Memorial Park and watched a dramatic performance, Farewell. They then toured the Memorial Hall of the Long March of the Central Red Army.

The Central Red Army Long March Starting Place Memorial Park, Photo by Bastille Post

The Central Red Army Long March Starting Place Memorial Park, Photo by Bastille Post

The dramatic performance, "Farewell," Photo by Bastille Post

The dramatic performance, "Farewell," Photo by Bastille Post

The dramatic performance, "Farewell," Photo by Bastille Post

The dramatic performance, "Farewell," Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Chen, a resident of Shicheng County, Ganzhou City, who was also visiting the memorial, said what impressed her most was a worn-out sheepskin coat, which had been the only warm clothing for Zeng Guanghua, a veteran Red Army soldier from Yudu County who fought for the revolution for 18 years, during the Long March. Ms. Chen noted, "The history weighs heavily on my heart. Understanding the stories of the older generation of revolutionaries allows me to spread the story of my hometown better, no matter where I am."

Ms. Chen, Photo by Bastille Post

In 1934, more than 86,000 people from Yudu County set out on the Long March. It's said that one in every five Red Army soldiers was from Yudu, and 16,356 recorded martyrs from the county sacrificed their lives for the revolution.

Ms. Zhong Min, Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Zhong Min, a guide at the Memorial Hall of the Long March of the Central Red Army, said in an interview with Bastille Post that Yudu County is dotted with Red Army historic sites, and that every family has a Red Army veteran in its lineage. She herself is a descendant of Red Army soldiers: her great-grandfather joined the Red Army in 1933 and died the following year during an anti-encirclement campaign.

The Memorial Hall of the Long March of the Central Red Army, Photo by Bastille Post

The Memorial Hall of the Long March of the Central Red Army, Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Zhong said, "Every year, 20 to 30 groups from Hong Kong and Macau visit Yudu. We hope to help them understand this epic history through vivid storytelling. I still remember students from Hong Kong and Macau shedding tears after hearing the story of 'Mother's Storm Lantern.' I believe our outreach has left a deep resonance in their hearts."

The Memorial Hall of the Long March of the Central Red Army, Photo by Bastille Post

The Memorial Hall of the Long March of the Central Red Army, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Searching for Red Army's Steps in Historic Sites

In the urban area of Yudu County, the delegation visited the former site of the Southern Jiangxi Provincial Soviet Government and the former residence of Mao Zedong on the eve of the Long March. During his stay there, Mao Zedong conducted local surveys and research, held in-depth talks with local officials and residents, and then embarked on the Long March.

The former site of the Southern Jiangxi Provincial Soviet Government and the former residence of Mao Zedong on the eve of the Long March, Photo by Bastille Post

The Long March Cultural Museum, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

The former site of the Southern Jiangxi Provincial Soviet Government and the former residence of Mao Zedong on the eve of the Long March, Photo by Bastille Post

The former site of the Southern Jiangxi Provincial Soviet Government and the former residence of Mao Zedong on the eve of the Long March, Photo by Bastille Post

The former site of the Southern Jiangxi Provincial Soviet Government and the former residence of Mao Zedong on the eve of the Long March, Photo by Bastille Post

The former site of the Southern Jiangxi Provincial Soviet Government and the former residence of Mao Zedong on the eve of the Long March, Photo by Bastille Post

The bedroom of Mao Zedong, Photo by Bastille Post

The bedroom of Mao Zedong, Photo by Bastille Post

The bedroom of Mao Zedong, Photo by Bastille Post

Upon arriving at Yudu Ancient Street, the delegation found that the former headquarters of the Red Army and the site of the Three-Level Cadre Meeting in Southern Jiangxi Province have been integrated into the daily lives of local residents, blending revolutionary culture with local traditions. In addition to showcasing history, the former Red Army headquarters now provides visitors with a chance to learn about and experience traditional folk activities in Yudu. Meanwhile, the site of the Three-Level Cadre Meeting in Southern Jiangxi Province has been renovated and opened to the public free of charge, serving as a space for both historical and artistic exhibitions.

The site of the Three-Level Cadre Meeting in Southern Jiangxi Province has been renovated and opened to the public free of charge. Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Xiao Qiulin, an inheritor of traditional Chinese music, performed live for the delegation. Photo by Bastille Post

The former Red Army headquarters now provides visitors with a chance to experience traditional folk activity of weaving straw sandals. Photo by Bastille Post

The former Red Army headquarters now provides visitors with a chance to experience traditional folk activity of weaving straw sandals. Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

The themed interview series is hosted by the All-China Journalists' Association and the Media Alliance of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and co-organized by Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group and NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited, with the theme "Continuing the Red Legacy of the Long March and Gathering the Strength of the Greater Bay Area."

The launching ceremony of the themed interview series, Photo by Bastille Post

At the launch ceremony, Ms. Lu Xiaoqing, member of the Standing Committee of the Jiangxi Provincial Party Committee and Minister of the Publicity Department of the Jiangxi Provincial Party Committee, delivered a speech reviewing the great contributions made by the people of Jiangxi Province to the victory of the Long March. She said that Jiangxi Province and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area have close exchanges and have formed a new pattern of coordinated development. She hoped that the media delegation would act as inheritors of the red revolutionary culture, connectors of the Greater Bay Area, and promoters of the revitalization of old revolutionary base areas, so as to carry forward the spirit of the Long March in the new era.

The launching ceremony, Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Lu Xiaoqing, Photo by Bastille Post

The attendee of the launching ceremony, Mr. Tian Yuhong, member of the Party Leadership Group and secretary of the Secretariat of the All-China Journalists' Association, Photo by Bastille Post

The attendee of the launching ceremony, Mr. Li Dahong, President of the Hong Kong Federation of Journalists and Chairman of Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group, Photo by Bastille Post

The attendee of the launching ceremony, Mr. Wong Chun Kit, the journalist representative from Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group, Photo by Bastille Post

On September 21, the Gansu media interview team of the Media Alliance of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area’s "Retracing the Long March" joint interview tour series visited the Red Army Long March Victory Memorial Hall and the Monument to the Red Army's Victory and Reunion in Huining, and watched the stage play Grandpa's Long March, the first theatrical production specially created to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Red Army’s Long March victory. The visit offered the delegation a deeper understanding of the historic reunion of the Red Army at Huining.

The Red Army Long March Victory Memorial Hall in Huining, Photo by Bastille Post

To mark the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army’s Long March, the Hong Kong Federation of Journalists, the All-China Journalists Association, the Guangdong Journalists Association and the Macao Journalists Association have launched a joint interview tour series titled “Retracing the Long March.” Following the Jiangxi tour and the Guizhou-Yunnan tour, the Shaanxi-Gansu tour is being held from September 18 to 24 in Gansu and Shaanxi provinces under the theme “Carrying Forward the Red Legacy of the Long March, Uniting the Synergy of the Greater Bay Area.”

The Red Army Long March Victory Memorial Hall in Huining, Photo by Bastille Post

Built in 2006, the Red Army Long March Victory Memorial Hall in Huining is a thematic memorial dedicated to commemorating the historic event in which the three main forces of the Red Army successfully reunited in Huining, marking the victorious conclusion of the Long March. The memorial hall integrates cultural relic displays with modern multimedia presentations, with a total floor area of 3,310 square metres and an exhibition hall area of 2,800 square metres. It houses a collection of 1,399 items, including 107 precious cultural relics. The hall is divided into four sections: the Prologue Hall, the Red Army’s Long March Northward to Resist Japanese Aggression, the Victorious Reunion of the Three Main Forces, and the Eternal Monument of the Long March Spirit, reflecting the fighting course of the Red Army forces during the Long March and vividly recreating the historic reunion of the three main forces in Huining.

Exhibits at the Red Army Long March Victory Memorial Hall in Huining, Photo by Bastille Post

The Red Army Long March Victory Memorial Hall is one of the Exhibition and Display Projects of the National Demonstration Bases for Patriotism Education of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and the Key Red Tourism Infrastructure Construction Projects of the National Development and Reform Commission. It is also the largest memorial hall in China that comprehensively presents the history of the Red Army’s Long March, and one of the landmark constructions within the former site of the Red Army’s Huining reunion. Together with the Monument to the Red Army's Victory and Reunion as well as the Red Army Reunion Building, it forms a tripod-like layout.

Exhibits at the Red Army Long March Victory Memorial Hall in Huining, Photo by Bastille Post

The Monument to the Red Army's Victory and Reunion in Huining, built in 1986, commemorates the 90th anniversary of the reunion of the three main forces of the Red Army at Huining and the victory of the Long March. It honours the hundreds of thousands of Red Army soldiers who made sacrifices during the Long March and inspires future generations to carry forward the Long March spirit.

The Monument to the Red Army's Victory and Reunion in Huining, Photo by Bastille Post

Its name was inscribed by Deng Xiaoping, former leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC), on May 13, 1986. With three towers embracing one another and rising towards the sky, the monument symbolises the reunion of the three main forces at Huining. The tenth level, where the three towers merge into one, represents October 10, 1936, the day the three main forces of the Red Army achieved their grand reunion at Huining. The eleventh level, which crowns the structure, signifies not only the eleven provinces traversed by the Central Red Army during the Long March, but also the Red Army’s continued ascent under the unified leadership and command of the CPC Central Committee and the Central Military Commission, advancing to greater and more glorious victories on the revolutionary road ahead.

He Fangjun shows a photograph of his father, He Delin. Photo by Bastille Post

He Fangjun, a descendant of a Red Army soldier, He Delin, said that his father was born in Ningdu County, Jiangxi Province, in 1915. He joined the Ningdu Uprising at 15 or 16 and rose to the rank of squad leader of the 3rd Platoon, 9th Company, 3rd Regiment, 3rd Division, 1st Army Group, the First Front Army of the Red Army. Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and Zhu De, he took part in five or six battles. According to He Fangjun, his father suffered two minor wounds and four serious injuries, and eventually recuperated in Huining, Gansu, where he married, had children and put down roots. His father named his three sons: He Fangjun, He Fanghong and He Fangbing, turning Long March memory into a family identity marker. He Fangjun said his father passed away in 2008 at the age of 94.

He Fangjun noted that as a Red Army descendant, he has a responsibility to pass on the Red Army’s experiences to the next generation, from teachers and students at universities, journalists across China, to primary and secondary school students in Huining, and further to residents from Hong Kong and Macao. He even said his son and nephew had both served in the military, carrying on the family tradition of “serving the motherland.”

He Fangjun displays a photo of Former President Hu Jintao (third from left) and his father He Delin (second from left). Photo by Bastille Post

Marking the 90th anniversary of the Red Army’s Long March victory this year, He Fangjun said the Red Army soldiers exchanged their lives for liberation, and many are buried underground. If young people and the next generation forget revolutionary history, the meaning of their sacrifice will be erased. “What we must do today is remember the martyrs and join hands to build the Chinese Dream together.” He also called on the media to carry forward the Long March spirit, tell the Huining story well, and inspire the next generation with the Long March spirit to walk the new stretch of the Long March well.

Du Yongsheng, former director of the Administrative Committee of the Red Army's Reunion Site in Huining and a docent of the CPC History, Photo by Bastille Post

Du Yongsheng, former director of the Administrative Committee of the Red Army's Reunion Site in Huining and a docent of the CPC History, said that Huining has received more than 6 million visitors over the past two decades. The main groups are CPC member delegations and primary, secondary and university students; it has even attracted foreign groups from Japan and other countries. These foreign groups regard China’s Long March spirit as a border-transcending spiritual asset that inspires corporate employees.

The stage play "Grandpa’s Long March," Photo by Bastille Post

In the evening, the interview team attended the premiere of the stage play Grandpa’s Long March, a production specially designed to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Red Army’s Long March victory. Before the performance, a large number of secondary school students were observed in attendance, many of them visibly excited and holding the play’s booklets for photos.

Grandpa’s Long March is based on the true story of Jiang Qilin, a farmer from Huining who guarded the tomb of Chai Hongru, Commander of the 93rd Division of the Red Army, for 22 years. The play unfolds through the time-travelling perspective of a young journalist from the Jiang family’s later generations. It uses the fate of ordinary individuals to reflect the great Long March spirit: everyone has a Long March in their heart, and the red commitment is passed down from generation to generation.

The stage play "Grandpa’s Long March," Photo by Bastille Post

The stage play "Grandpa’s Long March," Photo by Bastille Post

Zhang Cheng, chief director of Grandpa’s Long March, noted that Long March stories are told and performed in Huining every year, but those have remained limited to short programmes, songs and dances. He noted that such formats “struggle to reach people’s hearts.” He wanted to shift to a theatrical form, using emotion and conflict to tell the story and to interpret the Long March spirit—the spirit of overcoming difficulties, bravery and tenacious inheritance—through artistic expression.

From left: Zhang Cheng, chief director of the stage play; Gao Wencheng, the actor who plays Division Commander Chai Hongru; and Jing Lu, executive director. Photo by Bastille Post

Asked about the play’s target audience, he said he hoped to attract the old, middle-aged and young generations. “The second performance is scheduled for October 15, and it will be staged again during Huining’s major festival events.” Zhang Cheng said that if audience response proves genuinely enthusiastic, he would consider entering the market and increasing the number of performances.