American Journalist Edgar Snow brought global attention to China's revolution with his landmark 1937 book, "Red Star Over China." As this year marks the 90th anniversary of the Long March, Snow's nephew Eric Foster has called on the world to remember the deep historical significance of those events.
In October 1934, the Communist Party of China (CPC) was forced to retreat from the Central Soviet Area in east China's Jiangxi Province and move northwest after enduring a series of encirclement campaigns by rival forces of the Chinese Kuomintang party.
The CPC-led Red Army broke through enemy blockades, crossed rugged terrain, and endured fierce battles and immense hardship. Tens of thousands of soldiers lost their lives along the way.
In October 1936, three main Red Army forces converged in northwestern China, marking the end of the Long March.
Edgar Snow recorded the legendary journey in his book, offering the world a rare, firsthand account of China at a time when the country was largely misunderstood by the West. His account included his interviews and experiences in Bao'an, a temporary base during the Long March, and Yan'an, the revolutionary heartland of the Communist Party of China after the Long March.
Speaking from central Beijing's Kuijiachang Hutong, a former residence of Edgar and his then wife Helen Foster Snow, the journalist's nephew emphasized that the revolutionary spirit of determination remains deeply relevant today, inspiring modern generations to overcome challenges and preserve positive values.
"I have visited Bao'an and Yan'an several times, and of course, it always makes me feel sort of sentimental or historical nostalgia to explain it, especially, if I see a live performance in Yan'an concerning the Red Army, as I know what about the great sacrifices that they went through, so I always get emotional. Because the heroic Red Army were determined to press forward, no matter how hard and difficult, or how many sacrifices they had to make to reach their historic destination," Foster said.
"What drove the spirit of determination was that they knew that the Red Army was the answer to save China from imperialism and from the bondage that was like slavery that many of them had been under for thousands of years. They knew that socialism and treating people more equal was the truth that they needed to fight for at any cost. So, the spirit remains highly relevant today as it inspires us to overcome challenges, no matter how difficult they are, and pass on positive values across generations," he said.
Nephew of "Red Star Over China" author hails steadfast determination of Long March
An evocative situational song and dance performance has vividly connected the Red Army's perilous crossing of a snow-capped mountain with a modern tunnel engineering marvel during a televised gala commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army's Long March on Thursday.
The Long March (1934-1936) was a defining military maneuver undertaken by the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, symbolizing endurance and perseverance which ultimately paved the way for the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
Titled "Ode to the Long March," the five-part gala broadcast by the China Media Group (CMG) centers on key historical junctures of the arduous 12,500-kilometer journey.
One of these performance segments sought to bring to life the Red Army's strenuous crossing of a snow-topped peak during the epic military trek. It weaves together two eras -- the soldiers' desperate climb through the blizzards and the modern-day construction of a tunnel through the same mountain -- to show how the spirit of perseverance endures across generations.
Through poignant dialogue and an enchanting song, the piece shows soldiers supporting one another through a fierce snowstorm, culminating in a young soldier's dream of drilling a hole through the mountain once the revolution is won. This vision comes to life as the stage setting shifts to the present day, featuring a powerful exchange between a Red Army commander and a modern engineer, symbolizing their shared determination to conquer nature's barriers.
The segment depicts the Central Red Army's June 1935 crossing of the Jiajin Mountain in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the first major snow mountain they encountered on the Long March.
Decades later, over 600 workers labored for 45 months to build the Jiajin Mountain Tunnel of the G351 highway, an engineering marvel that has permanently ended the winter isolation of over 110,000 local residents.
Integrating music, dance, drama, and folk art, the performances at the Gala vividly recall the immense hardships the Red Army endured and showcase the firm beliefs held by the Communist Party of China (CPC), even in the face of sacrifice and suffering.
The broadcast followed a commemorative meeting held earlier on Thursday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech.
The Long March began in October 1934, when 86,000 poorly armed soldiers began a grueling 12,500-kilometer journey across some of the country's harshest terrain to establish a new revolutionary base. The march concluded in October 1936 when three main Red Army forces converged in northwestern China.
Gala performance bridges past, present with nod to Long March history, modern engineering
Gala performance bridges past, present with nod to Long March history, modern engineering
Gala performance bridges past, present with nod to Long March history, modern engineering
