How can the spirit of the Long March, the historic military campaign undertaken by the Red Army from 1934 to 1936, be passed on to future generations? For a group of students at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, the answer lies in bringing history to the table — quite literally.
The students designed a tabletop game titled Long March: Passing the Torch. It features a map illustrated with landscape sketches of landmark locations, including Ruijin in Jiangxi province, where Red Army forces began their arduous journey; the Chishui River, which soldiers crossed four times to evade encirclement by Kuomintang forces; Zunyi in Guizhou province, where a pivotal conference was held; and Yan’an in Shaanxi province, the destination of the historic campaign.
Designed for two to four players aged 10 and older, the game challenges participants to work together, make strategic moves and navigate difficult trade-offs. Through play, they experience the hardships of the journey, the weight of decision-making and the power of faith, gaining a more immersive understanding of history.
Long March: Passing the Torch is one of many artistic and design projects undertaken by CAFA teachers and students over the past two years. From organizing historical documents to creating landscape paintings in the traditional Chinese ink style, and from developing lesson plans to designing board games, participants have explored a wide range of creative approaches.
This year marks the 90th anniversary of the Red Army’s victory in the Long March, which was led by the Communist Party of China.
The works, which blend historical depth, artistic creativity and emotional warmth, were recently donated to CAFA’s collections at a ceremony on campus. They were also exhibited at the CAFA Art Museum, giving the public an opportunity to engage with the enduring value of the Long March spirit.
Yu Yang, deputy dean of CAFA, says generations of artists at the academy have devoted themselves to expressing the Long March theme through art over the decades, with much of their work rooted in the tradition of realism. He says that while these works offer refreshing perspectives, artists are increasingly adopting a storyteller’s approach to their narratives, shifting audiences’ perspectives and making them feel present in the historical events.
