Music carries heroic spirit of Red Outpost

Moved by these words, Tang wrote Red Outpost, a tribute to the devotion of front-line soldiers. Another lyric of the song goes, "As the evening breeze stirs the red sentry post, the soldier's longing is whispered only to the wind."

Born in 1997, Tang graduated from a music school before enlisting in 2019. His musical talent quickly stood out, leading him to form a band within his unit.

Tang's ties to the military run deep. Both his father and uncle served before him. "I remember a picture of my father playing guitar in uniform," Tang said. "My uncle used to teach me military martial arts."

Though he chose music as his major at college, Tang initially lagged behind his peers due to limited formal training. During this testing time, his father's words — "In the army, if you choose it, you must give it your all" — became his driving force to work harder.

Tang completed his degree in 2019. Shortly after, his life took a sharp turn upon receiving a text message about military recruitment. "The fire to join the army reignited," Tang recalled. "I knew it was my last chance to become a soldier."

Armed with his guitar, he enlisted — but military life was far tougher than he had imagined. "I weighed 90 kilograms when I joined, and lost 20 kg in just three months," he said.