Beijing Review: A rock can be smashed, but its pieces will still be hard; cinnabar can be ground, but its powder will still be red.
BEIJING, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hello and welcome to Wisdom Without Borders. In this series, we explain the whys, whens and wherefores of classical quotations used by President Xi Jinping. In this episode, we explain the line "A rock can be smashed, but its pieces will still be hard; cinnabar can be ground, but its powder will still be red."
The quote comes from The Annals of Lu Buwei (Lushi Chunqiu), written by the statesman Lu Buwei during the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.). On October 21, 2016, Xi cited this saying in his speech commemorating the 80th anniversary of the successful completion of the Long March to demonstrate the unwavering ideals and convictions of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
The Long March was a strategic operation undertaken by the Red Army under the leadership of the CPC. In October 1934, the Central Red Army, the main armed force of the CPC, with which the Party's central leadership was based, set out from Jiangxi and Fujian provinces in east China. The army crossed raging rivers, climbed snow-covered mountains, and trekked across vast marshlands, while breaking through repeated blockades and encirclement by enemy forces, reaching northwest China after a journey of 12,500 km. In October 1936, the Red Army's three major units converged in Gansu Province, marking the end of the Long March and ushering in a new stage of China's revolution.
This year marks the 90th anniversary of the completion of the Long March. During that extraordinary journey, Red Army members put their faith into action, remaining committed to the original aspiration of seeking national independence and liberation for the people. Their unwavering revolutionary spirit continues to endure. A rock can be smashed, but its pieces will still be hard; cinnabar can be ground, but its powder will still be red. This spirit of standing firm in adversity and remaining true to one's original aspiration is a vivid expression of the great spirit of the Long March.
The Long March gave rise to strategic brilliance in the Four Crossings of the Chishui River, and courage in the capture of Luding Bridge. The troops endured the bitterness of eating roots and chewing their belts to stave off hunger, and faced the mortal peril of snow-covered mountains and steep cliffs. Countless heroes gave their lives to embody the integrity shown in the quote. The firmness of the Long March lies in an iron will that bends for nothing, and the fearless resolve to stand against any foe. Like the unchangeable red of cinnabar, those on the Long March remained unshakably loyal to the goal of saving the nation and its people. Throughout the long and treacherous march and trials of life and death, nothing could shake their firm ideals and convictions, nor could anything strip the CPC members of their unwavering devotion.
Times have changed, and the smoke of war has long since cleared, but the spirit forged during the Long March has never become outdated. In the new era, there are no snow-covered mountains or marshes to cross, but China still shoulders the weighty tasks of reform, development and national rejuvenation. Given the complex domestic and international landscape and the daunting challenges it faces, the country still needs the same indomitable resolve to forge ahead. When facing technological bottlenecks, researchers draw on perseverance to overcome barriers. When advancing rural revitalization, government staff work on the front lines and deliver tangible benefits to the people. Today, regional conflicts continue across the world, development gaps persist, and new challenges from climate change to the governance of AI are emerging. These challenges likewise require the spirit of unwavering firmness. China has proposed the Global Development Initiative, the Global Civilizations Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative. It has championed the Belt and Road Initiative and is translating the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity into action. China seeks to cope with the changing landscape with firm strategic resolve, offer its insights and solutions to the world, and demonstrate the responsibility of a major country.
A rock can be smashed, but its pieces will still be hard; cinnabar can be ground, but its powder will still be red.
Every generation walks its own Long March and has its own responsibilities to uphold. But no matter how the times change or how circumstances evolve, the CPC's commitment to seeking happiness for the people remains unchanged. Its mission to advance the progress of humanity and promote harmony among nations remains steadfast.
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