CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Monday, May 3, 2021 | 11 TRAVEL

PATHWAYS TO PROGRESS Expressway leads to a big discovery: Prosperity

By ZHANG LI in Nanning [email protected]

Mo Shuifeng moves swiftly and expertly between the vegetables she grows for guests in her garden in Hetang village, Zhongshan county, Hezhou of Guangxi Zhuang autono­ mous region. She feels she is dreaming. Just five years ago she was living in poverty because of the financial burden of her children’s school tuition. With limited transport and a lack of arable land for farming, Hetang had been one of the poorest areas of the county. In 2015, severe poverty affected more than 33 percent of the population. But the village had a secret asset that had never been tapped: It Pupils of the Zhaojin Beiliang Red Army Primary School in Zhaojin town, Tongchuan, Shaanxi province, learn the history of the Communist Party of China. boasts 16 kilometers of picturesque PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY karst landscape that few people have ever heard about. In 2017, an expressway linked Baotou in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region with Maoming, Red history thriving along highway Guangdong province. The express­ way passes Guilin, Wuzhou and Hezhou in Guangxi. Located just 11 km from the Rich experiences Baotou-Maoming tion,” he wrote in his diary. expressway entrance, the scenic Expressway Tongdao Dong autonomous landscape of Hetang village could await those who county of Huaihua, Hunan prov­ not stay hidden and was soon dis­ want to get a feel Baotou ince, along the expressway, was the covered by the world. site of a major conference in 1934, In 2018, the local government for the heroism when the Red Army decided to turn decided to expand the 16 km land­ Yan’an toward Guizhou province, where scape into a scenic spot character­ and patriotism of Xi’an the enemy forces were weak. The ized by idyllic scenery. The project past generations fateful decision turned out to be a called for an investment of 800 mil­ matter of life and death, but the Red lion yuan ($123 million). Chongqing Army prevailed. “The updated scenic spot attract­ By CHEN MEILING in Beijing Today, the memorial hall for the ed visitors from different cities in and SHAN JUAN in Xi’an Guilin event, with more than 1,000 exhibits, the region and even from Guang­ welcomes about 1.2 million visits dong province because of its prox­ At 7 am, students stood ramrod annually. Tourists range from chil­ imity,” said Yang Tingming, director straight as they sang the national Maoming dren to the elderly — people from of Zhongshan county’s tourism anthem during the flag­raising cere­ across the country, said Zheng Xiang, administration. CHINA DAILY mony at Zhaojin Beiliang Red Army Tourists visit a memorial hall of the Red Army in Tongdao Dong president of the hall. So Mo remodeled her house, mak­ Primary School in Zhaojin town, autonomous county of Huaihua, Hunan province. CHEN ZEGUO / XINHUA He said that besides sightseeing, ing it into a hotel to accommodate Tongchuan, Shaanxi province. The it’s important to talk, sing and partic­ tourists. song was followed by another about ipate in other experiences. The hall “We can earn 800 yuan a day dur­ how young people bugle and vow to of heroes inspires me to stick to my tive dishes the army once ate — wild Baotou, Inner Mongolia autono­ has organized a flower basket cere­ ing peak season,” said Mo, who support the rejuvenation of the dreams.” Hou Shiyu, another stu­ plants and steamed cornbread, for mous region, and runs south to mony to honor martyrs, and activi­ shook off poverty through the new country. dent, said she learned to cherish example — to give them an apprecia­ Maoming, Guangdong province — ties such as symposiums, songs and business after just one year. Other The school was built around the life, as it was purchased at a high tion of those hard times and help tourists can visit several major sites even the making of straw sandals to residents benefited from tourism in site of the Chenjiapo conference, price through the sacrifices of earli­ them learn to cherish the good days in the formative life of the CPC. “help tourists fully feel and learn similar ways. which played an important role in er generations. today. Yulin, Shaanxi, witnessed the from history”. According to Zhong Yinsheng, the the victory of the Red Army during Zhaojin, a central base area of the Since 2015, about 3,400 people got founding of the first CPC organiza­ In a major program that attracts village head, the parking area alone wartime from the 1920s to 1940s. It Red Army, witnessed one of the key jobs thanks to the Red tourism tion in northern Shaanxi in 1924 and 5,000 people a year in Tongdao, tour­ brought in 80,000 yuan for the vil­ was held in August 1933, when the stages upon which modern Chinese boom, and incomes have steadily the beginning of armed resistance ists can walk 7 kilometers on a moun­ lage in 2019. “With more visitors, Communist Party of China consoli­ history played out. Red education increased, especially among the against the Kuomintang regime in tain road to get a taste of the residents can increase their dated and strengthened forces of the spreads from children to adults and poor, Bai Wei, mayor of Zhaojin, told northwestern China in 1927. Yan’an difficulties the Red Army once incomes in a number of ways — for army in Northwest China’s Shaanxi then around the country. The town chinanews.com.cn. was base of the Central Committee of underwent and learn its stories. example, running a guesthouse or and Gansu provinces. has a training center for CPC officials, Besides farming, locals can earn CPC from 1935 to 1948 during the More than 35,000 rural people in selling agricultural products or bev­ In 2018, the school was designated and its influence has been enlarged money by renting land, working at War of Resistance Against Japanese Tongdao are associated with tourism erages,” Zhong said. a demonstration school for Red edu­ as China celebrates the 100th anni­ local companies, receiving dividends Aggression (1931­45) and the War of services, which have helped 25,700 The expressway also promoted cation, which refers to Chinese revo­ versary of the Party this year. or beginning their own business. Liberation (1946­49). In Shaanxi poor people shake off poverty. Locals’ the integration of tourism resources lutionary history, the spirit of role At the Xuejiazhai revolutionary Many young people have returned to province’s capital, Xi’an, the office of incomes grew by an average of 800 in Hezhou and Guilin. The latter is models and stories of the CPC. All 160 site in a secluded mountain area of their hometown to join the tourism the Eighth Route Army, the force yuan ($123) per person annually, world­famous for karst landscape, pupils are immersed in Red songs, Zhaojin, the old military hospital, industry. aimed at fighting the Japanese, func­ according to the local government. and is just two hours away by car. Red tales and Red films. They also clothing factory, machinery factory, The salary of Zhu Jin, a college tioned to promote an anti­aggression The expressway, which links seven Last year, Guilin and Hezhou in visit historical museums and sites warehouse and armory have been student who returned, grew from movement among the public, buy regions — the provinces of Shaanxi, Guangxi, and Zhaoqing in Guang­ where major events happened, preserved. Tourists, some wearing 1,800 yuan monthly as a docent to medical and communication sup­ Sichuan, Hunan and Guangdong, dong, signed an agreement to accel­ sometimes outside the province, Red Army uniforms, learned how the 4,000 yuan as an investment man­ plies for the army and organize more along with the Inner Mongolia and erate the tourism integration of the according to Feng Gangzhan, the army had built a community and ager at a local tourism company. She than 20,000 young adults to aid Guangxi Zhuang autonomous three cities. The aim was to create a school’s principal. overcome daunting challenges to told China Central Television that Yan’an, which contributed signifi­ regions and the city of Chongqing — health resort drawing from develop­ “Red culture can help to build carry on the fight. besides Red sites, tourists can also cantly to victory. offers rich resources for Red tourism ment of the Guangdong­Hong their view of the world, life and val­ Visits to the Shaanxi­Gansu revo­ experience the beautiful natural Jiao Yibo, a pupil in Xi’an who and continues to play an important Kong­Macao Greater Bay Area, ues, and to develop good morals and lutionary memorial hall in Zhaojin landscape of mountains, waterfalls visited the site, said he learned the role in the development of western since the three cities had been con­ civilized behavior,” Feng said, adding exceed 800,000 annually and is and pastures, as well as skiing in the meaning of “difficult condition” after China. nected on land by the expressway that behaviors encouraged include expected to surpass 1 million this town, which made a stir on video seeing the cramped basement that and high­speed rail. picking up trash, saving food, pro­ year, Song Jianbin, deputy head of platforms. was used for surgeries. Zhu Youfang in Changsha It is expected that the number of tecting the environment and helping the hall, told media in April. Zhaojin is one example of regions “The footprints of revolution show contributed to this story. tourist visits to the three cities will people in need. On the Red commercial block, that have benefited from Red history. hardships as China moved forward, surpass 358 million by 2025 and Wang Tianjiao, a sixth­grade stu­ locals have revived old food recipes Driving along the Baotou­Maoming and I realized the responsibility of Contact the writers at that tourism revenue will exceed dent, told Shaanxi Daily: “The spirit to offer visitors a taste of the primi­ Expressway — which starts from our generation in national rejuvena­ [email protected] 490 billion yuan. Battle of White Horse Mountains laid foundation for freeing SW China

By TAN YINGZI in Chongqing black marble stele engraved with the The victory laid a solid foundation history and a revolutionary past. But [email protected] words “Revolutionary Martyrs for PLA to free the entire southwest­ in the past, the remote location and Immortal”, and on the base below, ern region of China. poor transportation infrastructure Driving along the Chongqing sec­ the story of the Battle of White Horse In a series of battles during the hindered its development and held tion of the Baotou­Maoming Mountains is retold. war, one of the most decisive was the the local people in poverty. Expressway, travelers will encoun­ Although the Communist Party of Battle of White Horse Mountains in With the construction of Baotou­ ter the majestic White Horse China declared the founding of the the Wulong district of Chongqing. Maoming Expressway and other Mountains, site of a major battle in People’s Republic of China on Oct 1 in In the three­day battle, PLA and cross­regional highways, it’s now 1949 during the War of Liberation 1949, some areas in the southwest Kuomintang soldiers fought fiercely only an hour’s drive from downtown (1946­49). remained under the control of over an area of about 400 square Chongqing to White Horse Moun­ Now this beautiful land, where Kuomintang, including Chongqing, kilometers in the White Horse tains Scenic Area, opening the way hundreds of martyrs were buried, is for a time. Mountains. for tourists and bringing higher undergoing large­scale develop­ In early November 1949, led by Liu Facing the reality that they had incomes for local residents. ment to become a travel destina­ Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping, the already lost the war, most KMT sol­ Chen Daping, 50, who once lived tion. People here have been lifted Second Field Army and Fourth Field diers and officers in the White Horse below the poverty line, now works as out of poverty in recent years, striv­ Army of the PLA launched an attack Mountains battle fought unwillingly a security guard in the scenic area, ing for a better life. But one cannot on Chongqing. and passively, and the PLA soon making more than 2,000 yuan forget the sacrifice of the soldiers At the end of the month, the PLA rolled to victory, destroying the last ($308) a month. His wife is a cook at who fought for a bright future for entered the urban area of Chongqing line of defense for the KMT army and a homestay. coming generations. and declared the liberation of the paving the way toward the liberation “We make much more money In White Horse Town, there is a city, which had served as a wartime of Chongqing. than just growing crops, and we are cemetery for about 400 soldiers of capital of the KMT government dur­ The White Horse Mountains, cov­ going to build our own homestay,” the People’s Liberation Army who ing the War of Resistance Against ering one­sixth of Wulong district, Chen said. “Life is getting much The Chongqing section of the Baotou­Maoming Expressway in May lost their lives. In the center stands a Japanese Aggression (1931­45). have rich natural resources, a long better.” 2020. QU MINGBIN / FOR CHINA DAILY