Special Report: 70th anniversary of Long March

As China organizes high-profile celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the end of the Long March,Chinese youth say they believe the epic military retreat is a source of great "spiritual wealth" for the country.

Over 74 percent of young people believe that the Long March spirit is the most valuable legacy of the Long March for Chinese people, Monday's (Oct 23) China Youth Daily reports.

Nearly 72 percent said they believe that the spirit of "unity and hard struggle", which sustained the Long Marchers, should be further promoted.

Sixty four percent of the interviewees believe that "braving hardship and danger" are crucial values, according to the survey conducted jointly by the newspaper and Sina.com.

The 12,500-kilometer retreat was a military maneuver of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army led by the CPC, moving from Jiangxi in east China to Shaanxi in northwest China to escape annihilation by Chiang Kaishek's Kuomintang army.

Poorly equipped and ill-fed, but with little to lose, the Red Army's 80,000-strong First Division regrouped after several unsuccessful battles and began its year-long march north in October 1934.

When they finally reached their destination in Shaanxi Province,the First Division had only 7,000 soldiers left. Tens of thousands had died through starvation, fatigue, sickness and skirmishes.

Some analysts argue that, if Chinese people yearn for the Long March spirit, this indicates that it has disappeared from today's society.

Xie Zhiqiang, a professor with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, said the 70-year-old "Long March Spirit" is highly relevant to modern China because rapid economic developmenthas brought about huge changes to Chinese society.

The report says nearly 32.7 percent of 3,499 young people who responded to the survey said the spirit of "being independent and relying on yourself" should be preserved.

Another 30 percent say they preferred the notion of "blazing a new trail boldly".

Chinese authorities have called on the people to imbue themselves with the spirit of the Long March in building a "modernand harmonious socialist society".

The People's Daily says the spirit of the Long March means defying hardship and difficulties in order to save the nation and the people, preserving your independence, seeking truth from facts and being realistic.

The spirit of the Long March also means taking the interests ofthe whole nation into account, sharing the good times and the bad times with the people, being disciplined, upholding solidarity, relying on the masses, and fighting for the people, the newspaper says.

"Teaching and promoting the Long March Spirit will provide Chinese youth with a lodestone in today's diverse society," Prof. Xie said.

Editor: Wing