Published on: 2026-10-31
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Ninety years ago, in October 1936, the main forces of the Chinese Red Army united in Gansu province. This marked the end of the Long March, one of the most difficult journeys in human history. Today, foreign observers see in it not only a chapter of the Chinese revolution. They find in it a lesson that is clear to everyone: faith in the goal, mutual support, and the ability to keep going when it seems impossible. The appeal of the Long March to the world is not that it is Chinese, but that it is deeply human.
In October 1934, about 86,000 fighters left the Central Soviet area in Jiangxi Province. Ahead lay two years of travel through 11 provinces, snowy mountain passes, turbulent rivers, and impassable swamps. The fighters fought nearly every day, suffered from hunger and cold, but did not lose faith. The crossing of the Dadu River, the Luding Bridge, and the Great Snowy Mountains became symbols of courage. American journalist Edgar Snow later wrote that compared to this journey, Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps looks like a stroll.
In the summer of 1936, Snow reached northern Shaanxi and became the first Western journalist to interview Mao Zedong. His book “Red Star Over China” introduced the world to the people who had taken this path — young, convinced, ready to sacrifice themselves for the future of their country.
There was also another, quite unexpected witness. British missionary of Swiss origin Rudolf Bosshardt, known in China as Bo Fuli, marched for about 16 months with the 6th Corps of the Red Army. In his memoirs, he noted the discipline and dedication of the soldiers, and their attitude towards ordinary peasants.
Interest in the Great March abroad did not fade even after decades. In 1984, 75-year-old American journalist Harrison Salisbury traveled along the route of the Red Army and wrote the book “The Great March: The Untold Story.” For him, it was primarily a story of human will.
In 2002, two Britons, Ed Joslin and Andrew McEwan, decided to walk the entire route. For over a year, they traveled on foot through mountains and villages, speaking with the last veterans and their descendants. Their conclusion was straightforward: it is very difficult to understand China without traversing this path at least mentally.
What makes this story relatable to people of a different culture? Above all, its simple plots that are understandable without translation. In Zhucheng County, Hunan Province, the story of the “half blanket” is still told. In 1934, three female Red Army soldiers spent the night in the house of a poor peasant woman, Xu Jiexu. When leaving, they cut their only blanket in half and left half to the hostess. This story of care and gratitude touches people in any country.
Foreigners, especially from countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, see in the Great March a reflection of their own history: the struggle for independence, the desire to break free from poverty, and the belief that the future can be built with one’s own hands. For them, the Great March is not a foreign legend, but a familiar experience of overcoming.
The anniversary year became a time of open dialogue. As part of the international project “Together along the Path of the Great March,” foreign experts, scholars from overseas analytical centers, and youth from ASEAN countries visited Guangxi, Guizhou, and Gansu. They visited historical sites and saw how life has changed in the villages through which the Red Army passed ninety years ago. Today, tourism, agriculture, and local industry are developing there.
In September, an international exhibition was held in Beijing dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March and the 90th anniversary of Snow’s first interview with Mao Zedong. About 70 guests from different countries discussed how the spirit of the march continues to influence China’s development.
For many foreigners, it is precisely the Long March that explains what otherwise seems a mystery: why the Chinese are able to think long-term, why they value perseverance and collective effort so highly, why they do not give up in the face of difficulties. China itself often speaks of a “new Great March,” referring to the path of modernization and national rejuvenation.
Ninety years later, the Long March has ceased to be just a Chinese story. It has become a common language through which China and the world can talk about courage, hope, and dignity. And perhaps that is why today, for a foreigner, it is one of the best doors through which to enter China and understand it.
Author: Anushervon Rasulov
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