Revolutionary culture in vogue among Chinese youth

NANCHANG, July 1 (Xinhua) -- In the Jinggangshan Revolution Museum, 15-year-old Luo Minhua downloaded an augmented reality (AR) treasure hunt app on her phone. Then, she explored displayed items according to clues provided by the app, including historical figures and revolutionary stories.

"It is quite a novel way to make the revolutionary stories in textbooks come to life, and make them more impressive," Luo said, interacting with the museum collections via AR technology.

July 1 this year marks the 102nd anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Luo is one of many young people who have flocked to Jinggangshan -- known as the cradle of the Chinese revolution -- to retrace the history and learn the Jinggangshan Spirit.

In October 1927, Mao Zedong led a fledgling group of Chinese revolutionaries deep into the mountains around Jinggangshan in east China's Jiangxi Province, where they established the first rural revolutionary base of the CPC. The Jinggangshan Spirit -- standing firm in convictions, working hard, seeking truth from facts, daring to break new roads, relying on people, and fighting for victories -- was nurtured and has been passed down through generations.

"To cater to the preferences of young people and offer them an immersive experience, we have fully utilized AR, virtual reality and mixed reality technology to diversify the display methods," said Luo Huanan, a staff worker at the Jinggangshan Revolution Museum.

Luo said that 425 revolutionary cultural relics in the museum have been digitalized through 3D modeling technology.

In recent years, more and more young people have become interested in the Jinggangshan Spirit, devoting themselves to promoting the revolutionary history of the area.

In a studio near the museum, Mao Haofu was busy preparing an education lecture. Since 2017, the 34-year-old has given some 4,000 bilingual lectures on the Jinggangshan Spirit to visitors from home and abroad.

To narrate Jinggangshan's history with lucid and engaging storytelling, Mao visits the descendants of the Red Army and researches historical materials as often as possible.

After studying in Britain, Mao worked in Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi. He later quit his job and returned to his hometown of Jinggangshan.

His choice was influenced by his father and grandfather, who both devoted themselves into the research and education of the Party history.

Encouraged by Mao's studio, a group of local schoolchildren, including descendants of revolutionary martyrs, has volunteered to offer guiding services to visitors at historical sites during school holidays. To date, they have welcomed a total of more than 70,000 people.

The rich historical resources in Jinggangshan have also offered business and job opportunities for young people.

Xie Yanjun, 34, returned to his hometown Gutian Village in Jinggangshan's Getian Township in 2018 and began establishing an educational base in the village to develop a social project that integrates revolutionary culture.

Among the 21 employees at his company, nine were born after 2000 and the rest were born after 1990. The once regressive village is becoming younger and more lively.

At the 33-hectare base, visitors can retrace history, read revolutionary books and magazines, and experience activities that were common during the revolutionary period.

"We welcomed over 20,000 adolescents to participate in social practices in 2021, when the base was built," said Xie, noting that the base has received some 10,000 visitors so far this year.

The successful social project combined with rural tourism and health tourism has fattened villagers' wallets. Local Ai Quanxiu got involved in the social project in 2021, opening a bed and breakfast in the village.

"I have five rooms that can accommodate as many as 30 guests," Ai said. She earned 6,000 yuan (about 830 U.S. dollars) in June.

According to Zhang Yurong, Party chief of Gutian Village, 76 households have benefitted from the social project. Among them, one household had an annual income exceeding 100,000 yuan.