A Family's Incomplete Reunion, A Unique Sweetness in the Military Camp's Lantern Festival

During the Lantern Festival, the troops not only stand firm at their posts and patrol, but also enjoy steaming hot tangyuan. On this holiday that symbolizes reunion, they protect the warmth of family gatherings with the unique perseverance and affection of Chinese soldiers.

In the early morning, at a camp in the Xinjiang Military District at an altitude of 4,000 meters, colorful lanterns made by the soldiers are hung high, and the sweet aroma wafts from the dining hall. Everyone gathers together to make tangyuan.

Kneading the dough, mixing the filling, rolling into balls... The hands that usually grip steel guns are now experiencing "reunion" in a traditional way.

Xu Macau, a soldier from a certain regiment in the Xinjiang Military District: The air pressure is low on the plateau, so the tangyuan skin must be kneaded tightly.

To make the tangyuan more "down-to-earth," the cooking team creatively developed "Xinjiang-flavored tangyuan"—adding crushed Xinjiang walnuts to the dough to enhance the aroma, giving this bowl of tangyuan a sweet taste with local characteristics.

Yang Hualin, a soldier from a certain regiment in the Xinjiang Military District: The conditions on the plateau are limited, so we find ways to innovate. Today's tangyuan not only has the traditional sesame filling but also our specially made raisin filling from the plateau.

At the source of the Yarlung Tsangpo River in the southwestern border of the motherland, border defense soldiers stationed at the Kunmujia post face the biting cold wind and tread through the vast snow to begin a day of patrol. They need to reach boundary marker No. 19 at an altitude of over 5,200 meters.

After more than two hours of difficult trekking, the patrol team takes a short break at a wind-sheltered mountain pass. The quartermaster takes out the tangyuan prepared in advance, and the soldiers set up cooking utensils in the snow, lighting a fire to boil the tangyuan. During the cooking, everyone sits together to play lantern riddles.

He Tongjia from the Kunmujia post: In the past, I celebrated the Lantern Festival at home with my family, eating tangyuan and enjoying lanterns. Now, celebrating a special Lantern Festival with my comrades deep in the snow-capped mountains truly makes me understand how much dedication lies behind the defense of the border and the true meaning of "one family not reunited, but all families reunited."

The military camps during the Lantern Festival are particularly lively, with soldiers performing dragon and lion dances, their movements agile, beating gongs and drums, creating a festive atmosphere. In the dining hall, everyone sits together, with clear divisions of labor, skilled movements, working together to make plump tangyuan.

To make up for the regret of not being able to celebrate the "Reunion Festival" with their families, the soldiers pick up paper and pen, writing letters home to express their longing for their families, holiday blessings, and their growth and achievements in the military camp.

Du Xinyuan from a certain brigade of the 71st Group Army: Being in the military camp with a mission on my shoulders, although we cannot reunite, eating tangyuan and guessing lantern riddles with my comrades creates a lively atmosphere that makes me feel at home in the military camp.