A bowl of lamb soup honors Red Army

In the heart of Anwen township, Chongqing's Qijiang district, a unique educational experience recently unfolded for 164 first-year middle school students, who embarked on a journey to a local revolutionary-themed site — the A Bowl of Lamb Soup Exhibition Hall.

The historical site, deeply rooted in the legacy of the Long March, served as a living classroom where the students engaged in fieldwork to immerse themselves in the revolutionary history and culture of the area.

"Visiting the site made history feel incredibly close to us, and we truly felt the bravery and selflessness of the revolutionary figures," said Jin Junjiang, a student from Anwen school, during the event in early September.

The exhibition hall commemorates a poignant local legend from January 1935, when the Central Red Army passed through Yangjiao village in Qijiang during the Long March. Liu Weizhen, a local villager, had just given birth and was alone at home. Soldiers offered her lamb soup and a military coat, which not only comforted her but also encouraged villagers to return home from hiding.

The Long March, a monumental expedition covering approximately 12,500 kilometers, was a pivotal event in Chinese history. It not only marked the Communist Party of China's strategic transfer but also exemplified the profound bond between the army and the people. That bond is now commemorated at the A Bowl of Lamb Soup Exhibition Hall, a tribute by the local community.

Qijiang holds a significant place in history as the only location in Chongqing crossed by the Central Red Army during the Long March. Although the army's stay there lasted only eight days, the period is regarded as the prelude to the Zunyi Conference and the overture to the Four Crossings of the Chishui River — pivotal events that laid the foundation for the victory of the Long March.

Eighty-six-year-old Wang Xianjin reflected on a family memory that has endured for decades: "This bowl of lamb soup is something my mother never forgot. She often said that without the kindness of the Red Army, poor families like us wouldn't have survived."

The story, passed down by their mother, profoundly shaped Wang's whole family.

Inspired by her tales of the Red Army, Wang and his two brothers joined the CPC at a young age. Since 2022, Wang has volunteered as a guide at the A Bowl of Lamb Soup Exhibition Hall, sharing the cherished tale of the Long March with visiting students, officials and tourists.

Today, his elder brother, now 88, and his younger brother, 84, continue to promote the revolutionary spirit through nostalgic paintings, writings and speeches.

"Even in our 80s, the three of us remain committed to upholding our integrity and carrying forward the spirit of the Long March," Wang said.

Anwen lamb, a local breed documented since the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, has become a culinary hallmark of the region. Xu Lu, an official in Anwen, noted that local people have leveraged the area's revolutionary culture and established specialized cooperatives centered on Anwen lamb, exploring a new path for rural vitalization.

Since 2020, the area has developed five main attractions, including historical sites and the exhibition hall, offering nostalgic activities such as straw weaving, oil pressing and rice cake making.

These efforts have attracted more than 100,000 visitors, generating more than 400,000 yuan ($60,000) for the local economy and increasing residents' earnings by more than 10 million yuan.