China's Long March legacy endures from trek to tech

China's first nuclear-powered submarine emerged from similarly difficult conditions and relied on technological self-reliance to overcome obstacles. Commissioned on Aug 1, 1974, it was also named Long March 1. Subsequent generations of Chinese nuclear submarines have continued to carry the Long March name.

The epic trek's legacy has since spread across military and technology sectors. Naval vessels such as Zunyi and Chishui bear the names of places associated with the historic march. Loongson, a major Chinese chipmaker, also gave two generations of its chips the project codes CZ70 and CZ80 in 2006 and 2016, respectively. CZ stands for Changzheng, the Chinese name for the Long March.

For Chinese scientists and engineers, the legacy is not simply a name but a determination to persevere in facing daunting challenges, maintain faith in eventual success, and grow more resilient with every setback.

Long Lehao, a leading Chinese rocket designer, cited the launch failure of Long March 3B as an example. As the rocket's first chief designer and chief commander, Long recalled that his hair "turned white overnight."

"There was no time to think about personal honor or disgrace. I threw myself into the new battle of tracing faults," Long recalled at a recent news conference.

After 30 days and nights of continuous work, his team identified the cause of the failure. Some 551 days later, the Long March 3B successfully delivered its payloads into orbit.