China’s Yudu Turns Its Revolutionary History into a Centre for Development
Yudu County in east China’s Jiangxi Province, once a remote revolutionary base and the starting point of the historic Long March in 1934, has undergone significant transformation, with improved infrastructure, expanding industries, and rising household incomes.
In October 1934, about 86,000 Red Army soldiers crossed the Yudu River to begin the Long March, a gruelling 12,500-kilometre journey through mountains, marshlands and enemy territory. The march ended in 1936 after Red Army forces converged in north-west China, helping preserve the army and strengthen the Communist Party of China (CPC).
For local residents, the historic event remains a deeply personal legacy. More than 17,000 people from Yudu joined the departing troops, but only 277 were recorded as having returned home, according to museum guide Zhong Min.
“We are not telling other people’s stories,” Zhong said. “We are telling our own families’ stories.”
Sun Guanfa, 77, whose father died fighting alongside the Red Army, was adopted by a soldier’s family after the soldier failed to return, helping preserve the family line.
“People of my father’s generation were willing to give their lives so ordinary people could be liberated,” Sun said.
During a visit to Yudu in 2019, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid tribute to the fallen soldiers and stressed the importance of preserving the revolutionary spirit.
“We must not forget our Party’s original aspiration and founding mission,” Xi said.
His visit also highlighted poverty alleviation. According to the Chinese government, the country’s campaign lifted nearly 100 million rural residents out of poverty. In 2021, the CPC declared that absolute poverty had been eliminated.
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Xi also emphasised the need to remember the sacrifices of communities that supported the revolution.
“The country has developed and people’s lives have improved, but we must remember where it all came from,” Xi said. “We must not forget our revolutionary forefathers and those who died for the revolution, or the people of the old revolutionary base areas.”
Yudu’s transformation reflects wider changes across southern Jiangxi. High-speed railways and expressways have improved transport links, while industries such as advanced materials, electronics, information technology, textiles and clothing have expanded.
Residents have also benefited from improved housing, safer drinking water and better access to education and healthcare.
Sun said his family’s annual income had tripled to more than 200,000 yuan (about 29,000 US dollars), supported by wages, guesthouse rentals and investment dividends.
The county continues to attract students and tourists interested in the history of the Long March. Today, five modern bridges span the Yudu River near the historic crossing points where residents once built temporary bridges to help soldiers cross.
As visitors retrace the historic route, Yudu’s story links the sacrifices of the revolutionary past with China’s ongoing development.
