The new era continues to sing the song of unity

Deep in the Taihang Mountains, on the northern bank of the Hutuo River, lies Beizhuang Village in Xibaipo Town, Shijiazhuang City, like a pearl embedded in a landscape of mountains and waters. "Unity is strength, unity is strength..." Every morning, as the sun rises over the eastern peak, this powerful song rings out on the village broadcast. Beizhuang Village is the birthplace of the revolutionary song "Unity is Strength."

On the morning of the date, a grand ceremony was held at Beijing's Tiananmen Square to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. Nearly 70,000 members of the Communist Youth League and young people formed a choir, singing "Unity is Strength." This red battle song born in the stormy war years of the past has once again become a call to action for the new era and the new journey of chasing dreams and striving forward.

At the entrance of Beizhuang Village, a sculpture stands out prominently. Two strong, ancient bronze hands are tightly clasped together, with the six bold red characters "Unity is Strength" glowing fiercely, like burning flames, instantly pulling people's thoughts back to the days of continuous warfare.

In the year, Japanese invaders launched a brutal "mopping-up" campaign against the Jin-Cha-Ji border region. The Northwest Front Service Group ventured deep into the rural areas of the border region to engage in struggle. In Beizhuang Village, two young members of the service group, Mu Hong and Lu Su, were inspired by the indomitable spirit of the military and civilians in the base area who united to bravely resist the enemy. They composed this song "lying on the hillside behind the villagers' houses."

Following the melody from the radio, I walked along the trail into Beizhuang Village. An elderly man was sitting on a small stool by the roadside, softly humming, his rough hands tapping rhythmically on his knees, as if beautiful memories were flowing in his eyes. The man's name was Wang Wenxue, and there was a story he always remembered: just before the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was headquartered in Xibaipo, with the Propaganda Department and the Central Secretariat stationed in Beizhuang Village. Wang's mother-in-law and hundreds of villagers spontaneously vacated their rooms to help out. After the founding of the People's Republic, Xu Aimin, a former staff member of the Secretariat who had lived here, returned to Beizhuang to "visit relatives," fondly recalling how Wang's mother-in-law hummed tunes while helping them take care of children, tidy up rooms, and make corn cakes. He said the sweet taste and the melody were always remembered.

The songs reverberate across this red land, where every ravine and ditch is filled with stories of unity and struggle. Qi Zemin, an elderly Party member from Beizhuang Village, grew up singing this song and, along with his fellow villagers, built their hometown with it. In the late 1950s, when the Gangsan Reservoir was being constructed, the entire village, led by Party members, moved from their fertile land where rice and wheat were grown twice a year to high, dry land where each person had less than three tenths of an acre. They joined the reservoir construction without asking for compensation. "Every time we worked, we sang. No matter when, as soon as the melody started, everyone had endless energy," the old man said, his spirits lifting as he sang passionately.

The smoke of gunpowder has long dissipated, but the melody remains stirring.

Since the reform and opening up, especially in the new era, under the assistance of various poverty alleviation teams at all levels, Beizhuang Village has united as one, worked diligently, and strived for a well-off life. Party members like Qize Min voluntarily gave up their own homesteads to support the village in building roads, constructing water storage tanks, paving asphalt roads, and implementing infrastructure projects such as water, electricity, and internet, thereby expanding channels for the villagers to increase their income... The entire village achieved overall poverty alleviation.

In the year, Beizhuang Village has once again encountered a significant opportunity for development. At the village history museum, Party Branch Secretary Feng Hongjuan stood before President Xi Jinping's letter, reflecting: "After achieving poverty alleviation, how do we proceed, how do we develop, and how do we pass on our heritage? We were once at a loss. President Xi, in his letter, urged all Party members of Beizhuang Village to 'fully play the role of vanguard and model, better unite and rally the villagers, concentrate our thoughts and efforts on a common goal, and make our lives increasingly prosperous.' President Xi's letter has strengthened our confidence and shown us the way forward!"

The village "two committees" team, along with the party members,铭记习近平总书记的嘱托, solicited opinions from the masses, evaluated the village's strengths and weaknesses, and planned out a new blueprint for "Red Beizhuang, Green Revitalization."

How can the spirit of unity and struggle be spread further and sung louder in the new era? Beizhuang Village proposes "letting villagers tell their own stories of unity," meticulously creating red tourism centered on the theme of unity and struggle, singing songs of unity together, showcasing the power of unity, and inspiring more people.

Strolling through Beizhuang, the roads are smooth and clean, with flowers blooming in three seasons and greenery all year round. The farmhouses are neatly arranged, and themes such as "Unity Study Room," "Unity Grand Dining Hall," and "Unity Beizhuang Handicraft Workshop" are scattered throughout, bringing the red history and red culture to the forefront.

"Nashuang Yuan, sitting at the doorstep telling stories to tourists and chatting with neighbors, can earn a thousand yuan a month." Guan Fengxia, in her forties, comes to work every day, her words filled with happiness. Stepping into her small courtyard, the yellow walls and dark gray tiles are neat and clean, with a liquid crystal TV, air conditioner, and refrigerator inside. On the balcony, pots of flowers compete in beauty, blooming brilliantly under the slanting sun.

As we parted, Feng Hongjuan took us to the threshing ground to witness a "historical reenactment" of the first performance of the opera "Unity is Strength" years ago. Just as the performance ended, just like many years before, all the villagers who participated ran to the center of the field, linked arms, and sang the unity song together. The surrounding tourists also stood up, joining the grand torrent, merging into a sea of songs.

Towards the sun, towards freedom, towards the new China that radiates brilliant light! The passionate and powerful songs reverberate long and loud in the square, in the air, and in the hearts of the people.