US academic retraces Long March

Living library

Brown has collected countless books recounting the historical experiences of foreigners in China over the years, and stories of Chinese people traveling overseas.

He noted that many of the books tell the stories of Chinese in Southeast Asia, working hard to send money home to help not just their families but also their home villages, such as for building roads and schools.

"Foreigners were amazed that their (Chinese expatriates) dream was to return home in their old age and die in China — or, at the least, if they died abroad, to have their remains returned home and buried in their ancestral home ... Chinese people love their country regardless of the politics," Brown said.

Among the books that have most influenced Brown is Red Star Over China by Edgar Snow — the classic account "that opened the eyes of the world to what was really happening in China".

"It opened my eyes as well," he said, citing Snow in chapter one of the book saying that the Red Army "had for nine years been isolated by a news blockade as effective as a stone fortress…Some people denied that there was such a thing as a Red Army".

"Had I not read this, I would not have been so keen on exploring China myself, driving a total of over 200,000 km these decades, visiting every province, to see the fruits of the Long March's many sacrifices," Brown said.

Prior to revisiting the Long March route this year, Brown had been to all of these places, and read about most of them.

"But it was much different when I spent almost 50 days with a team whose sole purpose was to experience and explore both the first Long March and the Long March that China faces today," he said.

It gave him "a much more visceral appreciation of the sacrifices and tragedies" during the Long March, and it also helped him "better feel the spirit of the Chinese, and perhaps most of all, their love for their country".

"No other people I know of have, for so long, had such a deep love for their country," he said.

Brown appreciates the stories of how Chinese people today show the Long March spirit in their lives in overcoming difficulties or serving others.

One of his favorite stories is about China Post mailman Lhalung Dorje, who works on the snowy western plateau of Sichuan province where temperatures can plunge below — 10 C.

"A mailman for 18 years, a 216 km mail route, traveling a total of 500,000 km, delivering 5 million pieces of mail, no piece ever lost," Brown said.

"He helped children get college acceptance letters, and drove over 100 km after work to deliver medicines for an elderly Tibetan lady. His e-commerce studio helps Tibetans sell local products," he added.