The Wartime Cradle of Chinese Talent: Kunming, Where Students Marched through Hardship to Shape China's Future

After departing Weixin, the media delegation from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area continued its "Retracing the Long March" reporting trip in Kunming, Yunnan. There, they visited the Yunnan Military Academy Museum and the Museum of the Southwestern Associated University, the two institutions that nurtured generations of talent for national salvation and development.

The Yunnan Military Academy Museum, Photo by Bastille Post

Founded in 1909, the Yunnan Military Academy is renowned as the “cradle of generals.” It was one of China’s most prestigious military academies, where generals who later joined the Red Army and became key founders of the People’s Liberation Army, including Zhu De, Ye Jianying, and Luo Binghui, all studied here.

Founded in 1909, the Yunnan Military Academy is renowned as the “cradle of generals.” Photo by Bastille Post

The academy’s curriculum was rigorous and comprehensive, with officers personally instructing students. In addition to military drills, it offered courses in economics, English, and French, etc. “Graduates from here were fluent in three languages,” said Xie Rui, a guide at the Yunnan Military Academy Museum. Students studied theory in the morning and engaged in practical exercises in the afternoon, ensuring the integration of both knowledge and practice.

Ye Jianying‘s graduation certificate, Photo by Bastille Post

The academy boasted excellent facilities, including a library, a post office, and a laboratory. Xie Rui said that students at the time were already making explosive and incendiary devices in the laboratory.

Xie Rui said that students at the time were already making explosive and incendiary devices in the laboratory. Photo by Bastille Post

When Ye Jianying, Zhu De, and others later joined the Red Army, they brought this training system, emphasising both academic cultivation and combat readiness, into the revolutionary ranks.

As the Red Army’s Long March shifted from a strategic retreat to a northward march against Japanese aggression, the training these generals had received was put to use on the anti‑Japanese front.

The Museum of the Southwestern Associated University, Photo by Bastille Post

The Southwestern Associated University, born out of the same national crisis, was established amid war in 1937. When Japanese forces destroyed the campuses of Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Nankai University, the three institutions first relocated to Changsha to form a temporary university, then moved west to Kunming in three separate routes to preserve the nation’s educational and cultural lifeline.

Feng Ying, Photo by Bastille Post

Feng Ying, a guide at the Museum of the Southwestern Associated University, said the journey was exceptionally arduous. More than 250 teachers and students formed the “Hunan‑Guizhou‑Yunnan Travel Group,” travelling approximately 1,600 kilometres over 68 days through the mountains and rivers of western Hunan, Guizhou, and Yunnan. She explained that helping companions remove corns from their feet became a common daily task due to the long distance.

Helping companions remove corns from their feet became a common daily task due to the long distance. Photo by Bastille Post

Braving wind and rain, traversing treacherous roads, and dodging air raids, the teachers and students supported one another along the way, recording the landscapes, exploring local customs, and finally arriving in Kunming. They preserved a glimmer of academic spirit for a nation in peril. Their journey became known as the “Educational Long March.”

Along the way, the teachers and students recorded the landscapes and local life. Photo by Bastille Post

Feng Ying noted that during the War of Resistance, funds were extremely scarce. Most buildings had mud walls and thatched roofs, with only classrooms barely covered with corrugated iron sheets. But Kunming is rainy, and when heavy rain came, the sound of raindrops hitting the iron sheets often drowned out the lectures.

A replica of a classroom from the period, Photo by Bastille Post

She recalled an occasion when Professor Chen Daisun was lecturing, and a sudden downpour began. The rain drowned out his voice; raising it was futile, so he turned to the blackboard and wrote: “Class Suspended. Enjoy the Rain.” Teachers and students sat quietly, listening to the rain fall. She remarked that even in the midst of turmoil, one must always maintain composure and optimism.

The Museum of the Southwestern Associated University, Photo by Bastille Post

The Museum of the Southwestern Associated University, Photo by Bastille Post

Enemy planes may have destroyed buildings, but they could not destroy the spirit of scholarship. In such humble surroundings, the Southwestern Associated University nurtured two Nobel laureates, eight scientists who made outstanding contributions to China's “Two Bombs and One Satellite” project, and more than 170 academicians, building a foundation of talent that would prove invaluable for national rejuvenation.

The Southwestern Associated University nurtured two Nobel laureates, eight scientists who made outstanding contributions to China's “Two Bombs and One Satellite” project, and more than 170 academicians, building a foundation of talent that would prove invaluable for national rejuvenation. Photo by Bastille Post

China’s strength today stands on the shoulders of those who persevered through hardship. Their stories have not faded with time. Like Feng Ying, she has spent years conducting oral history interviews, hoping to fill the gaps in the archival record and preserve the voices of those who lived through that era.

Feng Ying said that over her six years at the museum, she has interviewed more than twenty alumni of the Southwestern Associated University. “This work is time‑sensitive,” she said, “as many alumni have already passed away.” She believes that first‑hand stories are often more vivid than written records, and that these personal accounts give the museum's exhibitions a deeper human dimension.

The visitor at the Museum of the Southwestern Associated University, Photo by Bastille Post

She noted that in recent years, many young visitors from the Greater Bay Area, and even from Taiwan, have come to the museum for study tours, “almost every two to three weeks.” They are visibly moved by the old photographs and often engage in thoughtful discussion. She hopes the Museum of the Southwestern Associated University can serve as a bridge for fostering cross‑strait exchange and mutual understanding.

The media delegation from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area continued its "Retracing the Long March" reporting trip in Weixin, Yunnan, after departing Guizhou. They visited the Dapingshang Scenic Area, Zaxi Old Street and the Zaxi Conference Memorial Museum, experiencing first-hand the deep integration of revolutionary history, ethnic culture and rural tourism.

Weixin County in Yunnan (previously known as Zaxi) is thus hailed as the “starting point of victory.” Photo by Bastille Post

Weixin was formerly known as Zaxi. Since the Central Red Army held the Zaxi Conference there, “Zaxi” became a name synonymous with the county. While the Zunyi Conference marked a strategic turning point in the Red Army’s Long March, key decisions, including the reorganisation of the Standing Committee and troop reductions, were not fully implemented until the Zaxi Conference. Following the conference, the Red Army crossed the Chishui River twice, capturing Tongzi and Loushan Pass, and retaking Zunyi within half a month, securing its first major victory since the start of the Long March. Zaxi is thus hailed as the “starting point of victory.”

The Zaxi Conference Memorial Museum, Photo by Bastille Post

The Zaxi Conference Memorial Museum, Photo by Bastille Post

The Red Army’s stay in Zaxi lasted only 11 days, but their strict discipline, respect for local ethnic customs and beliefs, and efforts to ease the people’s suffering forged a deep bond with the Miao community, laying a solid foundation for the integration of local ethnic culture and red tourism today.

The historical site of Zaxi Conference, Photo by Bastille Post

Li Shuangfei, a local guide, recalled that when the Red Army assembled in Zaxi, it was the depths of winter. Xu Ce, the Political Commissar of the 5th Division of the Red 3rd Corps, was leading his troops on the march when he heard a woman in labour in a Miao village. He immediately arranged for a medic to assist with the delivery and even gave her his only warm quilt.

The quilt offered by Xu Ce is displayed in the memorial museum as a symbol of the close bond between the Red Army and the Miao community. Photo by Bastille Post

Today, that quilt is displayed in the memorial museum as a symbol of the close bond between the Red Army and the Miao community, and an emotional link between revolutionary spirit and Miao culture found in scenic spots like Dapingshang.

The Dapingshang Scenic Area, Photo by Bastille Post

Shen Chunbo, the head of the Dapingshang Scenic Area and deputy general manager of Weixin County Hongyun Culture Media Co., Ltd., said that when the Central Red Army assembled in Weixin, the county had a small population, yet more than 3,000 local people joined the Red Army and embarked on the revolutionary path. “We, the people of Weixin, made a great contribution to the revolution,” he said.

Shen Chunbo, Photo by Bastille Post

When asked how the scenic area integrates Miao culture with red education, Shen explained that the study tours incorporate traditional Miao crafts such as tie‑dyeing and paper‑cutting. “Students first learn to make straw sandals in the classroom,” he said, “so they can experience the hardships the Red Army endured when supplies were scarce. Then they put on the sandals they made themselves, walk into a Miao village, eat Miao food, and try batik.” He hopes this design will allow the two elements to blend naturally.

The Dapingshang Scenic Area after nightfall, Photo by Bastille Post

The Dapingshang Scenic Area after nightfall, Photo by Bastille Post

For years, Weixin has steadily promoted red cultural tourism with notable results. Shen noted that the “Red City in Full Bloom, Friendship in Weixin” themed public party held during the May Day holiday this year attracted more than 50,000 visitors in just five days, with online exposure exceeding 30 million. He chuckled, “We had bad weather for two of those days, so we actually welcomed over 50,000 visitors in just three days.”

The Zaxi Old Street, Photo by Bastille Post

Shen added that they plan to increase promotional efforts in the Greater Bay Area, hoping to attract more tourists from Hong Kong, Macau and the GBA to visit Weixin and experience this cultural tourism route that blends revolutionary history with Miao ethnic customs.

As night falls, a bonfire party lights up the mountains, creating a lively atmosphere at the Dapingshan Scenic Area. Photo by Bastille Post

Beyond the village history museum, folk museum and Pomegranate Seed Square, visitors can also try their hand at Miao intangible cultural heritage crafts and enjoy traditional ethnic songs and dances. As night falls, a bonfire party lights up the mountains, creating a lively atmosphere. Those who climb the steps along the trails can reach the Zaxi Peak Food Camp to sample local specialities such as charcoal‑grilled meat and fried potatoes. With open‑air music and the night view complementing each other, visitors are easily captivated.

Strangers to one another, visitors still join hands and dance under the night sky. Photo by Bastille Post

The growing number of visitors has also breathed new life into the surrounding villages. Shen said the scenic area was designed from the outset to benefit the local community. The family-friendly amusement park, food base and flower‑lined street are all staffed and operated by local residents. “We give priority to hiring casual workers from the surrounding communities. We employ around 200 people and generate over 500,000 RMB in revenue,” he said.

The Miao ethnic costumes sold at the scenic area, Photo by Bastille Post

Shen added that the scenic area also has designated spaces for villagers to set up stalls and sell their own agricultural products and local snacks, helping them increase their income through both employment and sales.

The scenic area also has designated spaces for villagers to set up stalls and sell their own agricultural products and local snacks. Photo by Bastille Post

About a ten-minute drive from Dapingshang, visitors can reach Zaxi Old Street and the Zaxi Conference Memorial Museum, forming a classic route for in-depth red tourism.

The blending of Miao batik with red culture, Photo by Bastille Post