Family guarding grave of fallen soldiers since 1934

For more than 90 years, five generations of a family in Quanzhou county, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, have kept a solemn vow: guarding the grave of seven unidentified Red Army soldiers, tending it through war and peace, and passing down a promise that began with a chance discovery in the hills after one of the bloodiest battles of the Long March.

The story began in 1934, during the Jiaoshanpu battle, the largest of the three major blocking actions in the Battle of Xiangjiang River. More than 2,000 Red Army soldiers were killed.

Among the locals who witnessed the aftermath was Jiang Zhongtai, a resident of Caiwan village and the family's first-generation guardian of the grave.

"They were so young, in their teens and early 20s," said Jiang Shilin, 82, the family's third-generation guardian, recounting what he had been told.

Unable to bear the thought of the fallen soldiers being left exposed, Jiang Zhongtai and his son returned home, fetched hoes and straw mats, and secretly buried the bodies in a single grave — an act of extraordinary courage at a time when helping Red Army soldiers could cost them their lives.

Before his death, Jiang Zhongtai made his son promise: "These soldiers died for ordinary people like us. You must watch over this grave for me."

Jiang Shouyu, the family's second-generation guardian, was just 12 at the time, but he never forgot the oath. From then on, he made an annual pilgrimage to Mihua Mountain to clean the grave and pay his respects.

In 2002, that responsibility was passed down to Jiang Shilin. For more than 20 years, he has kept the family promise, maintaining the site and telling the story of the Red Army.

"I have never known their names or where they came from. But they are my family. That will never change," said Jiang Shilin.

The family's devotion has deeply influenced the younger generation. Jiang Mingfeng, the fifth-generation guardian, works in Nanning, the regional capital, and cannot return to the county often. Yet the mountain and the grave remain in his heart.

"These soldiers were teenagers when they took on the fate of our country. Their spirit has taught me not to retreat in adversity, not to bow to difficulties, and not to waver in the face of temptation," said Jiang Mingfeng.

The family's quiet dedication has also drawn the attention of local authorities.

In April 2019, the county government renovated the grave site, erected a monument and designated it as a protected burial site for Red Army martyrs.

The work was part of a broader regional effort launched in 2018 to recover and properly reinter the remains of Red Army soldiers who fell during the Battle of Xiangjiang River. More than 240 burial sites were excavated across the county, and thousands of remains were recovered.

In September 2019, the Red Army Long March Xiangjiang River Battle Memorial Park opened in the county. Since then, it has received more than 9 million visitors from home and abroad for memorial services, study tours and public education.

When he returned to his hometown before the Tomb Sweeping Festival this year, the youngest guardian stood before the grave and echoed his family's enduring creed: "These soldiers took up the weight of the nation when they were still in their teens. Their spirit has shaped who I am. I will carry this legacy forward and teach my children to do the same."