Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
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In 1933, soldiers and residents of the Soviet district jointly dug the Red Well, ending the story of locals drinking murky pond water. After the founding of the PRC, villagers installed a stele in memory of this event with the inscription “When you drink water, do not forget those who dug the well.” This well became a living testimony to the close bond between the army and the people, inseparable like fish and water.
On the territory of the memorial complex, professional creative teams regularly perform artistic shows on revolutionary themes. The dance “Ten Farewells of the Red Army” conveys the feelings experienced by the people and soldiers during separation — reluctance to part and loyalty; the skit “Letter Home” recreates the high patriotic duty of the old generation of revolutionaries who sacrificed family well-being for the Motherland; the acrobatic number “Scarlet Azaleas” artistically depicts the blooming spreading over the mountains and expresses remembrance of the fallen revolutionary heroes. Immersive stage performances help to deeply feel the multifaceted red history, making it tangible and understandable for every viewer.
The complex of revolutionary memorial sites “Red Well” is an important base for patriotic education in Zhuijinzhen. The Memorial Museum of the Central Revolutionary Base in Zhuijinzhen created the project “Red Children Tell Stories,” within which a mechanism for joint patriotic education was built: the museum cooperates with more than twenty general education schools and together with them creates “red” education bases. The project started in 2014. During this time, more than five thousand young guides have been trained, over ten thousand educational events held, and more than two hundred thousand visitors received. On holidays and weekends, young guides in red vests move between the memorial sites and tell tourists the history of the Red Well.
The director of the Huazhong School of Hope in Ruijing, Xiong Min, notes in an interview that the cooperation between the museum and the school brings noticeable educational results. After participating in excursion work and educational-practical activities related to “red” performances, the children’s spiritual outlook changes significantly. Facing failures in their studies, they take example from previous generations of revolutionaries and learn not to retreat in the face of difficulties. The children also improve their communication skills and become more independent.
In an interview, the young guide Sun Cizhui shares his thoughts: “The story of the Red Well helped me feel how inseparable the army and the people were in the Soviet District, like fish and water. I want to tell the ‘red’ history of my homeland to as many people as possible.” Many children admit that participating in the project helped them become braver and learn to express their thoughts better. In practice, the schoolchildren were able to truly understand the selfless devotion of previous generations of revolutionaries to the people. The children also hold outreach educational meetings in schools — thus, the ‘red’ stories come directly into the classroom.
Young guides pass on faith through their stories. Teenagers, experiencing, telling, and reflecting, continue the revolutionary legacy so that the spirit of the Soviet districts is eternally transmitted from generation to generation under the ringing voices of children.
Text and photo: Tao Lijiao
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