Vibrant Shanghai hums with Party innovators' energy

Little 'red megaphones'

For the past two decades, a unique tradition has thrived at the Memorial Hall of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai. Over 1,000 children have taken turns serving as young docents, proudly known as the "red megaphones".

These children, who once listened to stories, have become storytellers themselves, sharing the CPC's history with visitors from across China and even around the world. Using their youthful voices and creative methods such as rhythmic storytelling and skits, they bring the founding stories of the Party to life in Mandarin, the Shanghai dialect, and English.

On the eve of International Children's Day, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, replied in a letter to student docents at the memorial hall and the Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Museum in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province. He encouraged them to carry forward revolutionary traditions, broaden their knowledge, develop their abilities, and strengthen their willpower and moral character.

The children participating in the Shanghai program come from Luwan No 1 Central Primary School in Huangpu district, where learning the docent script is a compulsory part of the curriculum that starts in first grade.

The idea to involve children as docents began simply.

Yang Yu, director of the memorial hall's publicity and education department, recalled discussing with the school's principal over 20 years ago the possibility of having children narrate the Party's history to their peers. The children crafted their own version of the script, filled with youthful narratives that visitors loved.

Xie Yiling has been telling the Party's story for four years and has conducted over 30 sessions. "When I was a first-grader, I listened to my seniors and felt their voices were so powerful. I thought, if they are the sparks, then I want to be a little flame," she said, adding that she has also guided foreign visitors, including some from the United States and Brazil.

Last year, the memorial hall received around 100,000 foreign visitors, setting a record.

Yang expressed hope that all visitors, whether domestic or international, leave inspired by the children's guide work. "The CPC's journey has not been without challenges, but the Party has always maintained a forward-looking spirit," she said.

Yang also noted that over two decades, successive generations of young people have not only told stories, but also carried forward a legacy of belief.

He Linjia, now 20 and a student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, became a member of the "red megaphones" in the third grade. She credited the experience with planting a seed of responsibility and love in her heart.

Today, she is actively involved in volunteer activities, including participating in medical support for the Shanghai Marathon and engaging in environmental cleanup hikes.

Contact the writers at zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn