Students retrace martyrs' path, carrying legacy forward

At 5 am on April 3, 22-year-old Zhao Rongyan set out with a group of students along a road leading to the Renshanhe Martyrs Cemetery.

Back in 2016, she had stood in a similar line as a middle school student, embarking on the same long journey to honor fallen heroes. A decade later, she returned — not as a participant, but as a teacher at Guyuan No 2 Middle School — this time guiding her own students along the familiar path.

"I see this as a form of cultural inheritance, a way of passing on values," Zhao said."I've taken the baton once handed to me and now pass it on to my students."

Her experience reflects a long-standing tradition in Guyuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region. Since 1995, students from Guyuan No 2 Middle School and Hongwen Middle School have taken part in an annual trek ahead of Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, to pay tribute at the Renshanhe Martyrs Cemetery in neighboring Pengyang county.

The site is historically significant. In 1949, it was the battleground for the first campaign to liberate Ningxia, and today the cemetery is the final resting place of over 300 revolutionary martyrs.

This year, more than 3,000 people joined the commemorative march, including local students, young volunteers, and over 700 participants from all walks of life. Starting from downtown Guyuan, the group completed a 54-kilometer round trip over approximately 17 hours.

As the group entered the most rugged mountain stretches, Zhao observed subtle yet meaningful changes among the teenagers. The boys moved to the outer edges, instinctively forming a protective circle around the girls, while those who were usually playful or restless readily offered help to classmates who lagged behind during the journey.

"Character is shaped through challenges," Zhao said. "It is on a journey like this that you truly see it emerge."

Upon arriving at the cemetery, participants held white flowers and gently placed them before the tombstones. Zhao noticed many students with reddened eyes, some quietly wiping away tears.

For many of them, the experience left a lasting impression.

Luan Junguan from Hongwen Middle School had once assumed that determination alone would be enough to get him through 54 kilometers. Step by step, however, the challenge proved far greater than expected.

"Yet the moment we arrived, all the exhaustion turned into gratitude," he said."It's thanks to the courage and sacrifice of those heroes that we can live peaceful and happy lives today."

For Qiang Jianwei, also from Guyuan No 2 Middle School, the march carried personal significance. Having previously failed to complete the distance, he had long regarded it as an unresolved regret.

"This time, I told myself I had to finish it," he said — and he did. "It taught me how to keep going, even when things get tough."

The 54-kilometer undertaking is far from a last-minute effort. Preparation begins as early as March, when schools incorporate endurance training into morning exercises and physical education classes.

Wang Zihao, a student at Guyuan No 2 Middle School, said the school organized regular training walks with weighted packs, while he also set personal goals, such as completing 10 kilometers on weekends.

"As a result, I didn't feel overly tired this time," he said.

"When we reached the cemetery and stood there holding white flowers before the martyrs, I felt a deep sense of respect."

For Wang Haoran, a student from Yinchuan No 9 Middle School, the journey began online.

He first learned about the event through social media and had long regretted missing the chance to participate. When his school was invited this year, he signed up without hesitation.

"I was a bit nervous before we set off, worried I might not make it," he recalled. "But then I thought, if the martyrs could endure such hardship, I should at least give it my best."

As night fell, the group slowly made their way back to Guyuan. Many pressed on with tired, unsteady steps, yet there was a quiet determination in their eyes — something that had not been there at the outset.

"This journey is about more than physical endurance," Zhao said. "It teaches perseverance and, more importantly, helps young people understand the legacy of the martyrs — and carry it forward."