Letters from Long March a legacy of faith and perseverance

Addressing a gathering in Beijing to mark the 90th anniversary of the Red Army's victory in the Long March on Thursday, President Xi Jinping emphasized that the people will always be the source of strength and support for the Party and the armed forces.

The victory of the Long March was achieved through the unwavering support of the people. Many who joined the Red Army did so at great personal risk, driven by their ideals and convictions. History demonstrates the essential need for the Communist Party of China to stay deeply connected to the populace and maintain close ties with them.

Among the precious artifacts housed in the memorial museum at Yudu county, Jiangxi province, where the Central Red Army embarked on the Long March, and in the Guizhou provincial museum and other exhibition venues, are yellowed and fragile family letters.

These letters quietly reveal the sincerity and fervor of soldiers on their arduous journey. Written in plain language, these letters express a deep longing for loved ones, a sense of duty to the country, and a commitment to revolutionary ideals. These vivid and moving testimonies to the spirit of the Long March embody the close ties between the Red Army and the people, for the soldiers emerged from the very heart of the populace.

In the late autumn of 1934, around 86,000 Red Army soldiers crossed the Yudu River, marking the beginning of the Long March.

Li Jun, a commander with the Third Red Army Corps, organized the crossing near his home. To maintain efficiency, he chose not to bid farewell in person but wrote a letter to his family afterward.

In the letter, he explained that he was embarking on a long expedition and could not promise a reunion until the victory of the revolution.

The grueling Long March only strengthened the soldiers' faith and resilience. They crossed 18 mountain ranges and 24 major rivers, traversed vast grasslands, and marched 12,500 kilometers, enduring extreme shortages of food, clothing and ammunition.

Despite these hardships, their steadfast ideals sustained them, and their convictions grew even stronger, even at the cost of their lives.

In July 1937, after Imperial Japan launched a full-scale invasion of China, Liu Xinyang of the Second Front Red Army, having just completed the Long March, immediately headed to the front lines to resist Japanese aggression and wrote to his parents.

Vowing never to let China be colonized and determined to drive the invaders out of the country, Liu prioritized the nation's greater good over personal interests. His letter to his parents speaks for countless Red Army soldiers, embodying the spirit of the Long March — fearlessness in the face of sacrifice and persistence despite setbacks.

The support of families mirrored the hopes they placed in the Red Army, as parents willingly sent their children to join its ranks. This mutual dedication underscores the significance of their commitment.

Meanwhile, those who remained in the Central Soviet Area after the Long March began also faced formidable challenges, displaying revolutionary integrity even in the face of death. In 1935, Liu Bojian was ordered to hold the base in southern Jiangxi. His final letter to his wife is not only emblematic of the commitment to the revolutionary cause but also the hope to preserve and pass on the spirit of struggle for the Chinese revolution.

The people's deep affection for the Red Army also grew along the journey. The song "Ten Farewells to the Red Army" symbolized their support, reluctance to part with the soldiers, and unpretentious faith in the revolution's victory. In Yudu, residents dismantled the door panels of their houses and bed boards to build bridges for the Red Army to cross the Yudu River, and diligently kept the crossing a secret. The people of Yudu spared no effort in protecting the Red Army, ensuring the success of the first step of the Long March. These actions vividly embody the close bond between the Party's armed forces and the people.

Those yellowed letters provide a tangible link to the past, making the Red Army's choices and convictions more understandable.

Nearly a century later, as the world experiences turbulence and profound changes unseen in a hundred years, the values of family devotion, strength of faith, unity between the military and the people, perseverance, and confidence in the Party's leadership continue to hold significant relevance.

These principles guide us to national rejuvenation and emphasize the importance of closely relying on the people while moving forward.

The author is a lecturer at the National Defense University of the People's Liberation Army.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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