In 1935, the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army embarked on the arduous Long March. In the midst of one of the most heroic strategic shifts in history, there was a chilling journey through the vast grasslands of northwestern Sichuan. This meadow seems to be flat and vast, but in fact it hides murderous intentions. Countless Red Army fighters got bogged down here and paid with their lives. The trip to the grassland became the most difficult part of the Long March.
More than 80 years have passed, what has become of the meadow that once made the Red Army officers and soldiers feel deeply desperate? Are the swamps that have swallowed so many lives still in danger? How would the Red Army soldiers of those days feel if they could see the meadows of today? How has the land changed? What does the future hold for it? Let's trace the footsteps of history together and explore this meadow that carries too many memories.
In August 1935, the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army came to the grasslands of northwestern Sichuan after a difficult Long March. Located in Ruoergai County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, this grassland is a plateau wetland on the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. At an altitude of more than 3,000 meters, the climate is cold, and water accumulates all year round, forming a large swampy area.
When the Red Army entered the meadows, it was the rainy season. The continuous drizzle made the already wet grass even more muddy. From a distance, the meadow is verdant, green and flat. However, when the Red Army soldiers set foot on the land, they found that the ground under their feet was so soft that they could get bogged down in the mud if they were not careful.
The Red Army's Long March into the grassland was to get rid of the encirclement and interception of the Kuomintang army. Prior to this, the Red Army had just crossed the Jiajin Mountain, which was more than 4,000 meters above sea level. The lack of oxygen in the mountains, the cold and hunger have exhausted many fighters. When they saw the green meadows at the bottom of the mountain, many people thought they could finally catch their breath. Unbeknownst to them, however, an even greater test awaited them.
The hardships of the meadow march were beyond anyone's imagination. The first is the danger of the terrain. Under the seemingly flat grass, there are swamps of varying depths. There are places that look sturdy, but when you step on them, they suddenly collapse. In some places, the surface is covered with grass, but in fact there is a bottomless mud pool below. Many warriors will get stuck in a swamp if they are not careful, and if they are not rescued in time, they will soon be swallowed up.
This is followed by bad weather. It rained all year round on the meadows, and the warriors' clothes were barely dry. The clammy air has caused many people to suffer from rheumatism. The low temperatures at night are even more unbearable. In order to keep warm, some fighters had to sleep in groups and keep each other warm.
Then there is the lack of food. When the Red Army entered the meadow, it was expected that it would only take a few days to pass, so it did not carry much food. However, due to the complex terrain, the pace of the march was much slower than expected. Soon, the food ran out. The hungry warriors had to gnaw on belts, bark, and even boiled shoes to satisfy their hunger.
In such a difficult environment, the Red Army fighters showed amazing perseverance and solidarity. A warrior named Yang Chengwu, in order to help his companions get out of the swamp, he himself fell into it. In the end, he used all his strength to barely climb out. There was also a commander named Deng Fa, who, in order to boost morale, took the lead in walking in the most dangerous places and exploring the way for the soldiers behind.
The most touching story is the legend of the "Seven Matches". When a seriously wounded Red Army soldier was dying, he handed over the seven remaining matches to a young soldier and told him to deliver them to the army. These seven matches in the cold and damp grass signify the hope of life. The young warrior lived up to the trust, risked his life, and finally delivered the matches to the large army.
Despite the enormous sacrifices, the Red Army eventually managed to cross the meadow. This difficult journey not only tested the will of the Red Army, but also sharpened its spirit. The trip to the grassland became the most arduous and legendary experience of the Long March, and also became an indelible page in the history of the Chinese revolution.
With the founding of the People's Republic of China, this grassland, which once made the Red Army soldiers suffer a lot, ushered in new changes. After 1949, the government organized a number of scientific expeditions to go deep into the grassland to conduct investigations and research. These preliminary investigations revealed the basic ecological characteristics of the grassland and laid the foundation for subsequent conservation and utilization.
The characteristics of grassland ecosystems are gradually being recognized. This is a typical plateau wetland ecosystem, dominated by swampy meadows. The meadows are dotted with a large number of peat bogs, which are formed during the long-term accumulation of water and the accumulation of plant debris, and have a strong water storage capacity. A large number of plants such as pine grass and moss grow on the grassland, which are not only important resources for local herders to graze, but also a key factor in maintaining ecological balance.
However, this ecosystem is also extremely fragile. Due to its location on a plateau, the climate is cold, and the growth of plants is slow, and once damaged, it is very difficult to recover. In addition, peat bogs take thousands of years to form and are almost impossible to rebuild once destroyed.
Climate change has had a significant impact on the grassland environment. In recent decades, the trend of global warming has been obvious, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, where the grassland is located, is a sensitive area for climate change. Rising temperatures have led to an earlier thaw of grasslands, which has accelerated the evaporation of soil moisture and led to the gradual aridification of some previously humid areas. At the same time, changes in precipitation patterns also affected the water balance of grasslands. In some places, precipitation has increased, resulting in increased water accumulation in local areas; In other places, reduced precipitation exacerbates land degradation.
The impact of human activities on grassland ecology is more direct and profound. With population growth and economic development, grasslands are under unprecedented pressure. Overgrazing is one of the main problems. In order to increase economic income, pastoralists in some areas have significantly increased the number of livestock beyond the carrying capacity of the grasslands. This has led to grassland degradation, a decline in vegetation cover and, in some places, desertification.
In addition, road construction, mineral development and other activities have also caused varying degrees of damage to the grassland ecology. In some places, part of the marshland has been filled in to build roads, changing the original hydrological environment. Mineral exploitation directly destroys surface vegetation and even pollutes water sources.
However, human activities are not all negative. With the increase in awareness of ecological conservation, some positive changes are also taking place. For example, the local government has implemented a grass-livestock balance policy to limit overgrazing. Some heavily degraded grasslands have been designated as no-grazing areas, giving grasslands a chance to recuperate.
With the efforts of scientific researchers, the monitoring network of grassland ecosystems has been gradually established. Through satellite remote sensing, ground observation stations and other means, researchers can monitor the changes of grassland in real time. These data provide a scientific basis for the development of conservation policies.
It is worth mentioning that the ecological awareness of local residents is also gradually increasing. In the past, some herders overexploited pasture resources in order to increase their income. But now, more and more people are realizing that protecting their grasslands is protecting their homes. Some herders have organized themselves and set up grassland management and protection teams to patrol the pastures on a rotational basis to stop illegal grazing and digging.
In Zoige County, there is a Tibetan herdsman named Arslen, who has led his family to work on grassland management for more than a decade. Every day, they patrol dozens of kilometers of pastures on horseback, record the condition of the pastures, and discourage violations. "This grassland has nurtured us for generations, and we have a responsibility to protect it," Arslen said. "
Despite this, there are still many challenges to the ecological change of grasslands. The long-term effects of climate change are difficult to predict, and the balance between human activities and ecological protection needs to be constantly adjusted. But what is certain is that this meadow, which once made it difficult for Red Army soldiers to trek, has now become an important ecosystem that has attracted much attention and protection. It not only carries the memory of history, but also shoulders the important mission of maintaining the regional ecological balance.
As ecological and environmental problems become increasingly prominent, the government has begun to vigorously promote the management and protection of grasslands. This work is not only related to the balance of the local ecosystem, but also closely related to the historical memory of the Red Army's Long March.
In 2000, the State Council approved the implementation of the project of "returning grazing land to grassland", which is a major measure aimed at restoring the ecological environment of grasslands. In the Zoige steppe, the project was fully implemented. The local government has designated a core protected area and strictly prohibits grazing activities. In other regions, seasonal rotational grazing is practiced, giving pastures time to recuperate.
In order to ensure the smooth implementation of the policy of "returning grazing land to grassland", the government has adopted a series of supporting measures. The first is financial compensation for pastoralists. Since the policy of banning and restricting grazing affects the income of herders, the government will give certain subsidies every year to reduce the economic pressure on herders. The second is to encourage herdsmen to change their production and employment. The government provides skills training to pastoralists to help them master new livelihood skills, such as eco-tourism and handicraft making.
Science and technology have played an important role in grassland management. The application of remote sensing technology has made the monitoring of grassland conditions more accurate and comprehensive. Using satellite images, researchers can monitor grassland vegetation coverage, humidity and other indicators in real time, and detect degraded areas in time.
In addition, biotechnology is also being applied in grassland restoration. Researchers have cultivated some grass species adapted to the plateau environment, which not only grow fast, but also have strong cold and drought resistance, which helps to accelerate the grassland recovery process. In some severely degraded areas, researchers have also experimented with the "plant puzzle" technique, in which different types of plants are mixed in specific proportions to improve the diversity and stability of vegetation.
Local residents also play an important role in grassland conservation. The government encourages the establishment of grassland management teams, where herders themselves manage and protect grasslands. This not only improves the efficiency of conservation, but also strengthens the sense of ownership of pastoralists.
In Axi Township, Zoige County, there is a grassland management team of 30 herders. Captain Dawa Tsering is a veteran herder with 20 years of herding experience. "Before, we only knew about grazing, but now we understand the importance of protecting grasslands," he said. Every day, Dawa Tsering and his team patrol the grasslands on horseback, documenting the state of the pastures and stopping illegal grazing and digging. They also learned how to use GPS locators and digital cameras to report the results of their inspections to the local grassland supervision station.
However, grassland management also faces many challenges. First, there is the issue of funding. Grassland management is a long-term project that requires continuous financial investment. Although both the central and local governments are increasing investment, there is still a gap between them and actual demand.
The second is technical difficulties. How to effectively restore grassland ecology in the complex environment of the plateau and the significant impact of climate change is still a long-term problem that needs to be explored for a long time. In some places, large amounts of money have been invested in revegetation, but the results have not been satisfactory.
The second is how to balance the relationship between ecological protection and economic development. Although everyone recognizes the importance of grassland protection, there are still conflicts of interest in the implementation process. For example, in order to develop tourism, a large number of facilities have been built on the grassland, which has affected the grassland ecology to a certain extent.
To address these challenges, governments and research institutions are constantly exploring new governance models. For example, in terms of funding, attempts are being made to introduce social capital and mobilize more social forces to participate in grassland conservation through the establishment of an ecological compensation mechanism. In terms of technology, cooperation with international institutions is being strengthened to introduce advanced grassland management experience.
In terms of balancing protection and development, the government has put forward the development concept of "ecology +", that is, the development of green industries on the basis of ecological protection. For example, the development of ecological animal husbandry, the promotion of the captive feeding model, to reduce the pressure on the grassland; Develop eco-tourism so that tourists can appreciate the beauty of the grassland while also understanding the importance of grassland protection.
In general, grassland management and protection is a complex and long-term project. It not only needs the leadership of the government, but also the support of science and technology, and the active participation of local residents. Only through the joint efforts of all parties can this grassland, which carries the memory of the Red Army's Long March, be revitalized and continue to write a new chapter in history.
The meadows are intimately connected to the lives of the local people, and this connection has evolved over time. From traditional nomadic life to modern ecological conservation, grasslands have always been at the heart of local people's lives.
For the past few hundred years, Tibetan herders in the Zoige steppe have lived a nomadic life. Every spring, herders migrate their cattle and sheep from the winter pastures to the summer pastures. This way of life is not only a mode of production, but also a cultural tradition. The nomadic skills that pastoralists have passed down through generations, from how to judge the quality of pastures and how to organize migration routes, are valuable cultural heritage.
However, with the implementation of ecological protection policies, the traditional nomadic way of life is changing. The government encourages herders to settle down and practice captive breeding. This transition has not been an easy task for pastoralists. There is an old herder named Tashi, who has been a nomad on the grassland for more than 50 years. When asked to settle down, he felt very uncomfortable. "In the beginning, I always felt that the house was too stuffy to sleep at night," Tashi said. However, as time went on, Tashi gradually adapted to his new way of life. He has now not only learned how to breed scientifically, but has also become a local ecological steward.
After settling down, the lives of the pastoralists changed dramatically. Previously, herders relied entirely on weather and pasture conditions for their livelihoods. If there is a snow storm or drought, it can be very bad. Now, with enclosures, herders have more control over the production process and reduce risk. At the same time, sedentary life has given pastoralists access to better education and health care.
The ecological protection of the grassland has also brought new employment opportunities to the local people. Previously, herders mainly derived their income from animal husbandry. Now, many people have become grassland rangers, eco-guides, etc. In the Huahu Scenic Area of Ruoergai County, a group of former herders have turned into ecological tour guides. They not only introduced the beauty of the grassland to tourists, but also explained the importance of grassland protection. One of the tour guides, Deji, said: "I used to only know about grazing, but now I think it's more important to protect the grasslands. Every time I see a visitor blown away by the beauty of the grassland, I feel proud. "
The change in the meadows has also affected the food culture of the locals. Traditionally, herders have based their diet on meat and dairy products. But as grassland protection has been strengthened, herders have had to reduce the number of livestock. This prompted them to start experimenting with growing some vegetables that are suitable for the highland climate. In Hongyuan Township, Zoige County, there is a vegetable growing cooperative made up of former herders. With the support of the government, they set up greenhouses and grew a variety of hardy vegetables. This not only enriched the diet of the locals, but also became a new source of income.
Grassland conservation has also led to the development of local cultural tourism. Every summer, a grassland cultural festival is held on the Zoige grassland. The festival not only attracts a large number of tourists, but also serves as a stage for locals to showcase their culture. During the festival, herders perform traditional songs and dances, display handicrafts, hold horse races and other activities. This not only inherits the traditional culture, but also injects new vitality into the local economic development.
However, this shift has also come with some challenges. Some elderly herders are struggling to adapt to their new way of life, feeling lost and lost. To this end, the local government has organized a series of training and cultural activities to help them adapt to their new life. At the same time, young people are encouraged to learn about traditional culture to ensure that these valuable cultural heritages are not lost due to lifestyle changes.
Changes in the grasslands have also affected the local social structure. Traditionally, the social structure of the steppe was based on the family unit. Each family has its own pastures and migration routes. But with the implementation of the settlement policy, this structure began to loosen. New communities were formed, and people's circles expanded. In a settlement in Zoige County, herders from different families now live together, forming new neighbourhoods. Together, they participate in community management and work together to solve life's problems.
In general, the relationship between the grassland and the lives of the locals is going through a period of profound transformation. From relying solely on grassland to actively protecting grassland, from nomadic to sedentary life, these changes have not only affected the livelihood of local people, but also changed their cultural traditions and social structure. In the process, the locals are exploring how to achieve their own development while protecting the ecological environment.
The future development of grassland is related to the balance of the ecological environment, the sustainability of the local economy, and the inheritance of the spirit of the Red Army's Long March. With the progress of the times and the development of science and technology, the Zoige grassland is ushering in new opportunities and challenges.
In terms of ecological protection, grassland management will be more refined and scientific in the future. In 2023, the Ruoergai grassland will begin a pilot use of artificial intelligence technology for grassland monitoring. The technology collects data through satellite remote sensing and ground-based sensors, combined with artificial intelligence algorithms, to monitor grassland growth, moisture content, and soil quality in real time. This not only improves the accuracy of monitoring, but also greatly reduces labor costs.
For example, in the Huahu Scenic Area of Ruoergai County, a project called "Smart Grassland" is underway. Li Ming, the project leader, said: "We have deployed hundreds of sensors on the grassland, and these sensors transmit data to the central system every hour. The system automatically analyzes this data and immediately alerts you if an anomaly is detected, such as poor grass growth in an area. "This precise monitoring system allows managers to take timely action to prevent grassland degradation.
In terms of economic development, grassland tourism is moving in a more sustainable and experiential direction. Traditional sightseeing tourism is gradually being replaced by ecological and cultural experiences. In 2024, Zoige County launched the "Herdsmen's Life Experience" project. Visitors can experience a day in the life of a herder with a professional guide, including milking cows, making dairy products, setting up tents, and more. The project not only gives visitors an in-depth understanding of the grassland culture, but also creates an additional source of income for local herders.
Ngawang, a herder involved in the project, said: "We used to think that grazing was boring, but now that tourists are so interested in our lives, we appreciate our culture even more." "This interactive tourism model not only increases the attractiveness of tourism, but also promotes the inheritance and exchange of culture.
In terms of scientific research, the Ruoergai grassland is becoming an important scientific research base. In 2025, an international Plateau Ecological Research Center will be established here. The research center brings together ecologists, climatologists and sociologists from around the world to study changes in the highland ecosystem and its impact on the global climate.
One of the key tasks of the research center is to study the impact of grasslands on the carbon cycle. Researchers have found that healthy grasslands can absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide and play an important role in mitigating global climate change. Based on this finding, Zoige County is exploring the establishment of a carbon trading mechanism to transform the carbon sink function of the grassland into economic benefits.
In terms of education, grassland culture and ecological protection concepts are gradually being incorporated into the local education system. Starting in 2026, primary and secondary schools in Zoige County will begin to offer "grassland classes", which include grassland ecological knowledge, traditional culture and sustainable development concepts. This not only helps to cultivate ecological awareness in the next generation, but also lays the foundation for long-term conservation of grasslands.
Gesang, a teacher who participated in the development of the textbook, said: "We hope that through this course, children can understand the importance of grasslands from an early age and cultivate their awareness of protecting their homeland." "This model of education is also supported by parents. One parent said: "We are very happy that our children are constantly reminded to save water and protect plants after learning this subject. "
Digital technology is playing an important role in cultural inheritance. In 2027, Zoige County launched the "Digital Grassland" project, which aims to record and display grassland culture with virtual reality technology. Visitors can experience the arduous journey of the Red Army's Long March through VR equipment, or participate in virtual Tibetan traditional festival celebrations. This novel display method not only attracts more young people to pay attention to grassland culture, but also provides a new way for cultural inheritance.
However, the future development of grasslands also faces many challenges. The uncertainty posed by climate change is a major problem. In recent years, the Zoige grassland has experienced several severe droughts, which have had a serious impact on the restoration of grasslands. In response to this challenge, a drought-tolerant grass seed breeding project is underway, hoping to breed grass species that are more adaptable to extreme climates through biotechnology.
In addition, striking a balance between protection and development is an ongoing challenge. With the development of tourism, how to control the number of tourists and reduce the impact of human activities on the ecological environment has become a problem that the management department needs to pay continuous attention to.
In general, the future development of the Zoige grassland is moving in the direction of ecological priority, science and technology leadership, and cultural inheritance. Through innovative management models, advanced scientific and technological means and in-depth scientific research, this grassland carrying historical memories is writing a new chapter. It is not only an important ecological barrier, but also a carrier of cultural inheritance, and a model of sustainable development.