Sharpening the Blade Against the Red Wall: From Hong Kong to Handong

On August 9, 2008, Kyoto was shrouded in a thin layer of morning mist, the air fresh after the rain. The revolutionary cemetery was solemn and dignified, with towering pines and cypresses standing like swords, silently guarding the heroic souls who rest there.

Zhou Jin, accompanied by Chen Panpan and their two children, carrying white chrysanthemums, slowly walked to the two adjacent tombstones. On the tombstones, the names of Zhou Jianguo and Su Tian were clearly visible, and in the black and white photos, the two elderly people's smiles remained kind.

Zhou Jin knelt down and gently placed the white chrysanthemums in front of the tombstone, brushing away the dust with her hand, her movements so gentle as if she were afraid of disturbing her sleeping elder. Zhou Shouzhen and Zhou Nianqi followed their father's example, placing their small flowers next to the chrysanthemums, their little faces full of solemnity.

"Grandpa, Grandpa, I've brought Panpan and the children to see you." Zhou Jin's voice was low and gentle, filled with deep longing. "Last night, we went to see the opening ceremony of the Olympics. It was so exciting and amazing. I've come to tell you this good news."

He sat on the stone steps beside the tombstone, just like when he was a child nestled on his grandfather's lap, and began to ramble on: "Grandpa, you always said I was the unicorn of the Zhou family, that I should uphold righteousness and be innovative, and serve the country and the people. Don't worry, I haven't let you down. Two years ago, I volunteered to go to Yanshi, the old revolutionary base area you always talked about. The loess slopes there are exactly as you described, and the people there are simple and honest, eagerly hoping for a better life."

"The first thing I did when I arrived in Yanshi was to attract investment and develop industries. Did you know that we attracted investment from Hong Kong and built an apple deep processing base, turning Yanshi's apples into juice and dried fruit, which are sold to Hong Kong and Southeast Asia? We also transformed the old revolutionary sites into immersive cultural tourism projects, allowing more people to learn about the stories of the old revolutionary base area. Now, Yanshi's GDP growth rate is almost catching up with the highest in the province, farmers' income has almost doubled, and every household has a bright future."

Chen Panpan stood to the side, gently wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and softly added, "Grandpa, Grandpa, Zhou Jin really works hard in Yanshi. He's busy until late at night every day and has lost several pounds. But he says that seeing the smiling faces of the people in the old revolutionary base area makes it all worthwhile."

Zhou Jin turned to look at his wife, then continued speaking to the tombstone: "And yesterday's Olympic opening ceremony, if you two could have seen it, you would have been moved to tears. The Bird's Nest was packed with people, and the eyes of the whole world were focused on China. When the countdown reached zero and fireworks exploded in the sky, Shou Zheng and Nian Qi jumped up and down shouting, 'It's so beautiful!' And the moment the torch was lit, when gymnast Li Ning ran through the air and lit the main torch tower, the cheers from the entire stadium almost lifted the roof off."

His voice choked with emotion, and tears welled in his eyes: "Grandpa, Grandpa, did you see that? Last night, when the Chinese delegation entered the stadium, the entire stadium sang the national anthem, and the five-starred red flags fluttered everywhere. You always said that your greatest wish in life was to see China stand up and become strong. Now, we've done it! The Olympics are being held right here in our own backyard, and the whole world is praising us for doing a great job. China has truly stood up!"

"I'm conducting a pilot project for building a strong nation through science and technology in Yancheng because I want this old revolutionary base area to also catch the fast train of national development. We've built a digital cultural tourism platform, established an agricultural science and technology demonstration park, and secured special national funding and expert support. In a few years, Yancheng will definitely be even better, and the people in this old revolutionary base area will no longer have to live a hard life."

Looking at his father's reddened eyes, Zhou Shouzhen took his sister's hand and walked to the tombstone. Looking up at his father with a serious expression, he said, "Great-Grandpa, Great-Grandpa, Dad said you were both great heroes who dedicated your lives to the country. Yesterday's Olympics were fantastic; many foreigners praised China for its strength. I want to be like Dad and you in the future, a person useful to the country."

Zhou Nianqi chimed in, "Great-Grandpa, Great-Grandpa, I will be a good boy/girl, study hard, and grow up to protect our country!"

The wind rustled through the pine and cypress forest, like a gentle response from elders. Zhou Jin stood up, bowed deeply to the tombstone, and tears finally streamed down her face: "Grandpa, Grandpa, rest assured, I will pass on the Zhou family's traditions and the Su family's loyalty to Shouzheng and Nianqi. Our family will uphold the ancestral motto of 'Upholding Integrity and Seeking Innovation, Prioritizing Family and Country,' live well, serve the people well, and make our country stronger and stronger!"

The family stood before the tombstone for a long time until the morning mist dissipated and sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, falling on the cold tombstone and also on their warm shoulders.

On the way back, Zhou Shouzhen suddenly asked Zhou Jin, "Dad, are Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandpa watching over us from heaven?"

Zhou Jin gripped her son's hand tightly, looked out the car window at the five-starred red flag fluttering in the wind, and said firmly, "Yes. They will be watching us, watching China get better and better."

Chen Panpan leaned on Zhou Jin's shoulder, looking at the two sensible children beside her, a gentle smile appearing on her lips.

The words spoken before the monument are not only a transmission of remembrance, but also a continuation of family traditions. Those sincere hearts devoted to the country and its people have long been imprinted in their blood, passed down from generation to generation, endlessly.