Resilience: The Life-or-Death Trek Across Snowy Peaks and Marsh Grasslands

BEIJING, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- An interview from China.org.cn with Wang Xiaohui and David Ferguson on the Long March:

Wang Xiaohui:

When your path ahead is beset with obstacles and filled with lurking dangers, like boundless marshlands with no path to follow, no food to eat, one misstep could drag you into deep mire, the sudden drop of temperature could easily cause fatal hypothermia — how long could you endure in such utter despair?

David Ferguson:

To survive and continue to move forward in such a hostile environment would take extraordinary courage, the will and the ability to set aside all thoughts of life and death. Personally, with no idea of what lay ahead, I might never have chosen to venture into such danger in the first place.

Wang Xiaohui:

In August 1935, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) resolved to march north and establish revolutionary base areas in the northwestern provinces of Shaanxi and Gansu. Blockaded by enemy troops externally and divided by disagreements internally, the sparsely populated grassland became the only viable route forward.

As the vanguard unit, the 4th Regiment of the 2nd Division, 1st Corps of the Red Army ventured into the vast Songpan Grasslands. This terrain proved far more horrifying than anticipated — dry solid ground was almost impossible to find, replaced by tufts of wild grass, winding watercourses, and swamps hidden beneath the meadow surface. A single heavy footstep sank soldiers knee-deep in the swamp, and every further struggle dragged them further down, leaving them reliant on comrades for rescue. The Tibetan guide instructed them to tread only where grass grew thick, following each other closely in single file.

The grasslands also saw erratic weather. Temperatures plummeted at dusk, and heavy downpours mixed with hailstones pelted the soldiers without mercy. Worse still, nearly all firewood was soaked by rainstorms, making it impossible to start fires. Soldiers could only huddle back-to-back, drawing warmth from each other's bodies.

Morale sank low. Then, Zheng Jinyu, a young soldier from the publicity department, magically pulled out several matches he had kept pressed close to his chest, sheltered from the rain, and lit a crackling blaze. Quick-witted and buoyant, Zheng always marched at the head of the column, grinning as he cheerfully sang songs and told stories to lift spirits. The warm orange firelight washed over every weary face. Some boiled a basin of hot water, sharing small cups that instantly chased away their cold. Others mixed a pinch of qingke (highland barley) flour with plain water — a single mouthful seemed to melt away a long day's hunger and fatigue.

Later, Zheng fell ill. When Yang Chengwu, the regiment commander learned of his condition, he immediately sent his own horse, a portion of his reserved rations, and his water bottle to the young soldier.

But Zheng never made it out of the deadly grasslands. In his last moments, he shed tears and said: "May the CPC's path prevail, and the revolution soon achieve victory… When that day comes, please tell my family I laid down my life for revolutionary triumph!"

The day after he passed away, the 4th Regiment made it out of the marshlands.

The regiment tried their best to leave clear trail markers to guide troops following behind. But relentless rainfall washed away some signs, while others sank beneath the mire. With no defined pathways, soldiers often trampled through knee-deep, toxic, muddy water. Many lost their way or collapsed from exhaustion, and were silently swallowed by the unforgiving swamps.

Harsh as the natural conditions were, the gravest challenge was a crippling food shortage. Most units had barely enough provisions for two days at most.

At first, they still had qingke barley flour to live on. Later, they turned to anything remotely edible: horse mounts, grass roots, tree bark, wild tubers, even undigested qingke grains picked from horse manure…

Later, when even these meager resources vanished too, soldiers resorted to leather goods — belts, leather shoes, even animal hide covering military drums. They cut off strips and roasted them over the fire; the leather sizzled and bubbled, turning tender and golden with a faint roasted aroma. Each soldier would get a tiny share, chewing slowly and swallowing gently. Some said they tasted like "fried millet cakes, far from unpleasant."

The path to survival for China's Red Army and the Chinese nation was soaked with the blood of these soldiers. They had no idea how far they could reach or how much longer they could survive. Then, what sustained them?

The answer lies in resilience, unbreakable under pressure, and growing firmer with heavier weight borne. This resilience was rooted in the Party's founding aspiration to serve the people and nation, nourished by unshakable faith in ultimate victory amid adversity, and ultimately merged into the torrent of the Long March spirit.

They embraced sacrifice fearlessly: neither the agonies of crossing snow-capped mountains and vast grasslands nor enemy forces outnumbering them many times could intimidate them. All Red Army officers and soldiers understood one ingrained truth: revolution demands sacrifice.

They dared to face up to mistakes. Every setback encountered along the Long March became a steppingstone toward the right course. The Communist Party of China has always possessed the courage to confront and rectify its own mistakes.

They consistently relied on the people, upheld mutual solidarity, and maintained revolutionary optimism even in adversity.

David Ferguson:

When I was crossing the Jiajin Mountain Pass, I heard a story.

During the Long March, some of the Red Army soldiers were approaching the summit — more than 4,000 meters above sea level — they fed themselves on snow and they pretended it was Guanshengyuan "ice cream".

What struck me most about that story was the fact that these soldiers were able to maintain a sense of humor in such hardship. If I were part of an army equipped with a clear direction, extraordinary courage and optimism — I believe that I could commit myself to the journey and see it through. I don't know how long I would endure, but one thing is certain: giving up is not an option. As long as I was still standing on my feet, I would keep moving forward.

Wang Xiaohui:

From June 1935 to July 1936, the three main forces of the Red Army crossed more than 20 snow-capped mountain ranges and traversed the Songpan Grasslands which stretches roughly 500 li (about 250 km). Tens of thousands laid down their lives along the way. Yet, this arduous trek, almost unparalleled in global warfare history, did not crush the Red Army soldiers. Instead, it tempered their will and steeled their faith.

For nearly a century, the stories of the Red Army crossing snow mountains and marshlands have inspired generations of Chinese people. The spirit of enduring hardship without fear, the readiness to embrace sacrifices, and the determination to carve out a path to survival from utter despair have continued to inspire those who followed, urging steady, resolute progress along new journeys.

Today, the historic mission of building a strong country and advancing national rejuvenation has been passed on to a new generation of Chinese people. This new expedition has new "snow-capped mountains and grasslands" to conquer — in the form of key technological challenges, reforms in critical sectors, and the trials that no one has ever tried. Yet the spirit of the Long March, forged through fire and blood, tells us that step by step, even the longest trek can reach its destination. Such a spirit continues to guide us to seek truth from facts, take concrete action, and surmount all difficulties.

The Chinese people are marching forward with confidence and resolve along the new Long March of the new era.

China Mosaic 
http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm 

Resilience: The Life-or-Death Trek Across Snowy Peaks and Marsh Grasslands
http://www.china.org.cn/2026-10/18/content_118738296.shtml 

SOURCE China.org.cn