Guojiahe Township, located in Xinxian County, in Xinyang, a city in Central China's Henan Province, is rich with revolutionary heritage. Now, it is home to more than 40 revolutionary and memorial sites. Among these sites is a group of caves that served as one of the Red Army's bases — and a battlefield — during the army's defense against Kuomintang (KMT) troops. The caves recorded the heroic spirit of the revolutionary martyrs; thus, the caves came to be known as the Red Army Caves. 

Zhang Aihua is a resident of Guojiahe, and daughter of a Red Army soldier. She was born in 1941, and she has been guarding the Red Army Caves since 1964. Now, 60 years later, Zhang, in her 80s, holds dear to her commitment to guard the revolutionary site. She is determined to live up to her promise of lifelong loyalty and dedication to the revolutionary cause of the CPC. 

Her enduring dedication can be traced back to 1947, when Zhang's parents were away to engage in the revolution, Zhang, the little girl, was caught and thrown into a river by KMT troops. Although she was saved, she suffered from persistent high fever and slipped into a coma. After she awoke, she found herself in a hospital and she saw many CPC-led army soldiers. Zhang said she received a second chance to live, and she vowed to never forget it. After liberation was achieved, the CPC guaranteed Zhang's basic living condition (clothes, food and a place to live), and an education. "The Party saved my life, and gave me everything I needed," she recalls. 

In 1964, Liu Mingbang, a revolutionary veteran and then-leader of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee, visited Guojiahe. He met Zhang. Liu pointed at the Red Army Caves, and he told Zhang, "Your father and many revolutionaries once lived and fought there, and many martyrs rested in there. These caves are a witness to the history. Please take good care of these caves." Zhang, deeply moved and grateful for the Party's care, and for the memory of the soldiers who had saved her, accepted the responsibility. 

Since then, Zhang has dedicated herself to the maintenance and protection of the Red Army Caves. It has not always been an easy task. At one point, there wasn't a road to the Red Army Caves, and the surrounding terrain was very dangerous, with many cliffs. To patrol the caves, Zhang had to walk the rugged mountain path every so often. The round trip was six kilometers. During the past 60 years, Zhang has walked more than 25,000 kilometers, equivalent to the distance of two Long Marches. 

Despite the passing of time, and the resulting obstacles and challenges of aging, Zhang has never wavered in her commitment. The 83-year-old Zhang still makes one to two cave patrols per week, with her husband Pan Guozhang. She firmly believes that no matter what happens, she must patrol and ensure the protection of the Red Army Caves.

In addition to protecting the Red Army Caves, Zhang has continuously collected and donated cultural relics. She carefully maintains the tableware and some bullets left by the Red Army in the caves. She has also handed over historical cultural relics (related to the revolution) from three generations of her family. Zhang believes it is more important to keep the items in national memorials rather than in her home. "The country can keep these cultural relics forever, and they will be remembered in history," says Zhang. 

Zhang also conducts lectures, in Xinxian, on the Party's revolutionary tradition, and she tells stories about revolutionary veterans to local villagers. Zhang writes drafts of her lectures. She also makes regular entries in her diary. In one entry, she explained how she wanted to promote and carry forward the revolutionary tradition, and to pass on the revolutionary heritage to future generations. 

Zhang's story continues to inspire many, and her unwavering dedication will continue to be honored as long as the Red Army Caves stand as a monument to the past, and as a beacon of inspiration for the future. "As long as I still can move, I will keep doing what I am doing," she once said. That firm conviction has supported her during the past 60 years, and it will continue to inspire her on the new journey.

Photos by Zhou Tao

(Women of China English Monthly November 2024)

Editor: Wang Shasha