More than 80 years have passed through the "cannibalistic" grassland that the Red Army's Long March has passed, and what has become of it now?
The Red Army's Long March broke the blockade of the Kuomintang army through thrilling battles such as crossing the Chishui River four times, forcibly crossing the Dadu River, and flying to the Luding Bridge. In addition to the artificial obstacles, the natural environment also became an opponent that the Red Army could not ignore.
Among them, traversing the steep snow-capped mountains and trekking through the vast grasslands has become another formidable challenge on the Long March. Although the Red Army's march on the meadows was not slow, the treacherous march led to a severe loss of non-combatants, and even in historical records, such losses are often described as "incalculable".
This vast meadow is known for its hardship, and is even jokingly called the "man-eating" meadow. The soldiers of the Red Army faced an unstoppable natural threat on this seemingly calm land. The vastness of the meadow made it impossible for the Red Army to face boundless challenges on the march, and this meadow also left a chapter in the history of the Long March because of its steepness.
In August 1935, the Songpan grassland was on the journey of the Red Army's Long March. After enduring many difficulties and climbing over snow-capped mountains, the Red Army stepped into this seemingly flat plateau. The Maoergai Conference was held, and the Red First and Red Fourth Front armies were mixed into two armies on the left and right after being assembled, and it was decided to continue to go north to challenge the many tests of the Songpan grassland.
This meadow is not as flat as it seems, but hides an extremely harsh living environment. The marshy area of the plateau area is surrounded by mountains and water systems, which makes the grassland unworthy of its name. The soft soil of the swamps here became a huge obstacle to the advance of the Red Army, and if they were not careful, they fell into it, and the struggle became deeper and deeper.
The swamp is just the tip of the iceberg in the Songpan meadows. Water quality has also become a problem that cannot be ignored, and the water in the grassland contains elements such as calcium carbonate and magnesium, which is not suitable for drinking. And the local weather is even more unpredictable, sometimes the sun is scorching, sometimes the rain is like a torrential rain, and the temperature difference between day and night is extremely large, so that the Red Army faces an invincible natural threat.
At the same time that this meadow became almost no man's land, the Red Army had to deal not only with the troubled natural environment, but also with the reality of extremely difficult supplies. Before crossing the meadow, they need to carry enough food and grass, otherwise the lack of food will become an insurmountable obstacle. At the same time, the lack of medical treatment and medicine, and the enemy's encirclement and interception, made the advance of the Red Army full of uncertainty and hardship.
The Red Army fighters did not stop because of the difficulties. They made their way cautiously through this seemingly endless grassland swamp, full of traps that they needed to wade through carefully. In the predicament of bad weather, lack of water and lack of food, the attrition of the Red Army soldiers was "incalculable".
When it was difficult to raise food, they had to use wild vegetables, grass, and even the belts and drum skins on their bodies as food. The story of the old squad leader making a sewing needle into a fish hook described in "Golden Fish Hook" has also become a touching scene in this man-eating meadow.
This Songpan grassland became a stage for the Red Army to forge ahead bravely and defy difficulties. With the spirit of fearlessness and sacrifice, the soldiers of the Red Army overcame the obstacles of the grassland and finally realized the strategic policy of going north.
With the passage of time, the Songpan grassland, which spanned half a century, has undergone earth-shaking changes. This once difficult and bumpy journey has now been changed by the development of modern civilization, and the Songpan grassland is full of new vitality.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Songpan grassland was rapidly developed, managed and transformed. In the 80s, Songpan County proudly erected the Red Army's Long March Monument in the Snow Mountains and Meadows, standing on the vast field, as if telling the precipitation of history. The Long March Monument Park next to the monument has become a place for people to remember the revolutionary martyrs, and the red glory will never be extinguished on this land.
Today, the face of Songpan Grassland has changed dramatically. What was once swampy has now been transformed into vast farmland with unimpeded drainage of canals. The muddy footprints on the grassland have now become plough marks on cultivated land and have become farming areas for ethnic minorities.
In this new land, there are not only grass warblers flying, cattle and sheep all over the ground, but also rich primeval forest resources. Combined with the rich history of the area, it has become a historical and cultural city. The introduction of the Huanglong Scenic Area has made this land not only a piece of cultivated land, but also a tourist attraction full of charm.
The transformation of Songpan Meadow attracts tourists from all over the country. What was once a "man-eating" grassland has now become a scenic spot that you can't forget to return. The original intention of the revolutionary martyrs was realized in this prosperous era. The great changes in Songpan Grassland seem to be a grand story, telling about difficulties and struggles, and interpreting the twists and turns of history.
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