Wang Quanying, the last survivor of China’s historic Long March, has turned 105. His birthday was celebrated in Sichuan province in June this year, the 90th anniversary of China’s Long March victory. A group of young soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) arrived at the centenarian’s home in Dujiangyan, Sichuan to pay their respects.
He was in a wheelchair and had on that old olive uniform of the Red Army and a cap with a red star on his head. As the 105-year-old placed his hand on his forehead and gave cornices to the young soldiers with trembling hands, the atmosphere in the room became very emotional. His eyes seemed to go back to those struggling days of almost a century ago when he paid tribute by striking his old cloak and looking at the battalion flag.
The veteran was given a special gift on his birthday. Faculty and students from the National University of Defense Technology and Zhejiang Communication University worked together to create two beautiful photos of Wang as a teenager using artificial intelligence. One of them made an appearance when he joined the Red Army in 1935, aged just 14. The other was just two years later, when he was 16 when he broke away from the group to undertake the arduous Long March. The old woman was overcome with emotion at the sight of her missing familiar faces and gently pointed her thumb with a gentle smile on her face.
Born in Jinchuan County, Sichuan Province in 1921, Wang Quanying enlisted in the Red Army at age 14, attracted by his country and ideals. She started as a nurse and aide in the Fourth Front Army. He also participated in the Communists’ historic 10,000 km march to escape the forces led by Chiang Kai-shek. They crossed 18 mountain ranges and 24 rivers. While crossing the snow-covered mountains, his hands and feet became worse due to extreme cold. Then in 1936 he became completely separated from his party during the military campaign.
After breaking away from the party, he came to Wenchuan in Sichuan and mingled with the common people. And like ten ordinary people, his day began to pass. For decades he told no one that he was once a warrior on the historic Long March. Finally, some 48 years after the incident, in 1984, his identity was officially confirmed and he was given national recognition as a veteran.
Today, when there are no more living witnesses to China’s Long March, 105-year-old Wang Quanying remains living history. His birthday is not just a celebration of a number, but a deep tribute to a history of relentless struggle and endurance.