As the Qingming Festival Approaches, All Military Personnel Commemorate Revolutionary Martyrs in Various Forms

As the Qingming Festival approaches, officers and soldiers of the entire army commemorate and pay tribute to the revolutionary martyrs in various forms—

Promoting the spirit of heroes, striving to be the successors of heroes

On the eve of the Qingming Festival, officers and soldiers from a unit of the Xinjiang Military District went to the Kangxiwa Martyrs' Cemetery to pay tribute to the heroes. Photo by Jin Kailai

“Why is the battle flag as beautiful as a painting? The blood of heroes has dyed it red; why does spring always exist on the earth? The lives of heroes bloom like flowers.” As the Qingming Festival approaches, across the country, in every military camp, officers and soldiers of the entire army commemorate the martyrs and pay tribute to the heroic souls in various ways.

In the springtime of Lingnan, the fine rain falls like a weave. Early in the morning, the officers and soldiers of the “Heroic Tank Company” from a brigade of the 74th Group Army went to the revolutionary martyrs' cemetery at their station to hold a commemorative event. Under the cover of tall pines and cypress trees, everyone lined up neatly and stood in silence in front of the monument engraved with the names of their predecessors, feeling the heroic spirit of their forebears. Subsequently, two soldiers stepped forward slowly to present a wreath to the martyrs on behalf of the entire company.

In the battle of that year, the company was ordered to infiltrate behind enemy lines and cut off their retreat. Under extremely difficult circumstances, the officers and soldiers completed the mission half an hour ahead of schedule with their iron will, resulting in the heroic sacrifice of 8 soldiers, while all 11 tanks achieved merit.

“Old predecessors, we are here to see you again!” Facing the martyrs who rest here, the company instructor earnestly reported on the overall construction of the company over the past year. Winning gold and silver in competitions, overcoming difficulties in technological innovation, and successfully completing major tasks… These new achievements and honors are inseparable from the inspiration and motivation of the heroic spirit. The tombstone is silent, but the legacy is everlasting. The officers and soldiers solemnly swore an oath, declaring: to always maintain purity and glory, to shoulder the heavy responsibility of strengthening the army, and to bravely advance along the path of the martyrs.

Green mountains bury loyal bones, and rivers and mountains remember heroic souls. At the Martyrs' Cemetery in Yanji County, Xinxiang City, Henan Province, officers and soldiers of the Henan Armed Police Corps Xinxiang Detachment offered chrysanthemums at the grave of martyr Xiao Siyuan, expressing their sorrow and determination: “You guarded the country with your life, and we will protect the peace of our homeland with our youth…”

After the event, the officers and soldiers entered a designated support elementary school in the area to jointly carry out a red education activity themed “Promoting the Spirit of Heroes, Striving to Be Pioneers of the Era” with the teachers and students. In the classroom, as photos and videos were played, the growth journey of the national defense hero Xiao Siyuan was vividly presented. On the themed poster “Qingming Tribute: My Hero,” everyone signed and left messages, expressing their determination to learn from heroes, strive to be heroes, and become heroes.

Commemoration is to remember forever, and paying tribute is to move forward better. In the Yimeng Revolutionary Memorial Hall, officers and soldiers of the “Tan Cheng Combat Model Company” from the 82nd Group Army carefully read historical materials related to the Tan Cheng battle, tracing back to that arduous and extraordinary period.

“Today's happy life did not come from nowhere; it was exchanged for by countless revolutionary predecessors with their blood and lives.” During the visit, the company’s second-level sergeant Ma Xiaofeng emotionally said, “'Nothing is sought except victory, and nothing is spared for victory' has never been just a slogan, but a gene ingrained in the blood of the people's army. We must inherit the will of our predecessors, solidly practice our combat skills, and safeguard the peace and tranquility of our motherland.”

In the town of Chongwu, Huian County, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, there stands an ancient-style building. Upon entering, one can see 27 clay sculptures of soldiers enshrined inside. In September 1949, before the liberation of Xiamen, the enemy suddenly dispatched planes to bomb Xisha Bay, and 27 soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army bravely sacrificed themselves to protect the local people. To commemorate the kindness of the PLA, the locals specially built a temple and erected a monument for them.

On the eve of the Qingming Festival, officers and soldiers from a unit of the Eastern Theater Air Force came here to pay tribute to the revolutionary martyrs and feel the deep bond between the military and the people. “There is no foundation more solid than being rooted in the people; there is no power stronger than the unity of the military and the people.” Listening to this touching story on site, everyone firmly expressed their determination to take the selfless heroes as examples, always believe in the people, closely rely on the people, and create a better future through unity and struggle.

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March. During a break from their tasks, officers and soldiers from the Chongqing Armed Police Corps Boat Team specially came to the Shihao Red Army Martyrs' Cemetery in Qijiang District, Chongqing City, to deeply commemorate the revolutionary predecessors.

What is the spirit of the Long March? How to inherit and promote the spirit of the Long March? Gazing at the pictures and recalling the great journey of that year, the officers and soldiers gained new insights: “90 years ago, the Red Army soldiers measured faith with their feet and paved the way with their lives; today, as revolutionary soldiers in the new era, we must engrave our responsibilities in our hearts and carry our missions on our shoulders, walking the new Long March well.”

Walking the new Long March well is a great march filled with glory and dreams. Looking back from the depths of history, it is normal for the people's army to conduct military training while engaging in political education; the more training, the more resolute, the more training, the more victories is a rule. At the Jinzhai Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery in Anhui, officers and soldiers from a unit of the Wuxi Joint Logistics Support Center revisited the heroic deeds and reflected on the good examples and styles of the revolutionary predecessors. “As we celebrate the centenary of building the army, we must continue to deepen political education and strengthen the revolutionary forging of our politics,” said the unit leader, emphasizing that strengthening the army must first be political strength, as political strength is the most fundamental strength. To maintain the essence of the old Red Army, it requires continuous tempering and forging.

The best commemoration is inheritance, and the best consolation is struggle.

In the northwest hinterland, during a critical moment of combat drills with full personnel and equipment in a certain unit of the Rocket Force, they encountered complex emergencies. The officers and soldiers remained calm and responded scientifically, successfully completing the task; on the plateau, during an equipment support drill in a certain brigade of the Air Force, a new type of radar suddenly malfunctioned. The officers and soldiers cooperated in groups, activating backup plans while urgently troubleshooting and repairing, and the malfunctioning radar quickly resumed operation; on the shores of the Yellow Sea, in a special education class of a certain naval unit, they combined the commemoration of martyrs with the study and education of establishing and practicing the correct view of achievements, guiding party members and cadres to deepen their understanding of “for whom achievements are established, what kind of achievements to establish, and how to establish achievements”...

“Today’s prosperous world, as you wished; a strong country and a strong army, I take on the responsibility.” The resolute words of party members and cadres from a certain brigade of the Information Support Force and the Huludao Military Sub-district during the commemoration of revolutionary martyrs express the voice of all officers and soldiers: to promote the spirit of heroes, strive to be successors of heroes, with a sense of urgency that time waits for no one and a sense of responsibility to strive for excellence, to focus on practical combat and enhance capabilities, continuously improving the readiness and combat capabilities in the new era, contributing wisdom and strength to achieve the centenary goal of building the army on schedule.

(PLA Daily, Beijing, April 4, reporters Yang Lun, Zhang Leifeng, Wang Yue, Bi Xiaotian, Guo Zhongzheng, Li Youzhi, Lu Dongfang contributed to this report)