Retracing the epic: Why the Long March still resonates in China and beyond

More than 90 years after the Long March reshaped the course of Chinese history, its spirit continues to inspire people both in China and around the world, participants said Friday as they concluded a 40-day journey along the historic route. 

The "Together on the Long March: 90th Anniversary of an Epic Journey" international communication project was held under the auspices of China International Communications Group (CICG) and coordinated by the China Internet Information Center (CIIC).

It brought Chinese and international participants together to retrace the route from Yudu in eastern China's Jiangxi province to Yan'an in northwestern China's Shaanxi province.

During the journey, participants traveled across six provinces, revisiting key sites of the Long March while exploring how it continues to shape China's development and resonate across cultures.

A spirit that transcends history 

Chang Bo, president of China International Communications Group, speaks at an exchange session in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, July 24, 2026. [Photo by Yang Jia/China.org.cn]

At an exchange session in Yan'an, Chang Bo, president of CICG, said the project was not only about commemorating history but also about drawing wisdom for the future.

"The spirit of the Long March is a spiritual treasure shared by all humanity," Chang said. "It transcends national boundaries and ideologies, injecting positive energy into global development."

Yu Yunquan, vice president of China International Communications Group, chairs an exchange session in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, July 24, 2026. [Photo/CICG Center for Europe and Africa] 

Gao Anming, editor-in-chief of China International Communications Group, speaks at an exchange session in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, July 24, 2026. [Photo by Yang Jia/China.org.cn]

Gao Anming, editor-in-chief of CICG, said the project had helped the international community better understand China. He noted that the determination, conviction and solidarity embodied in the Long March continue to inspire countries as they confront today's challenges.

In a video message, José Luis Centella, president of the Communist Party of Spain, said the project provided a valuable opportunity to explore the contemporary relevance of the Long March spirit. Its emphasis on perseverance, political conviction and long-term vision offers lessons for party building and organizational governance, he said.

From China's story to shared human values

International guests approached the Long March from different perspectives, yet many found common ground in the values it embodies.

Zhavier Harris, marketing and communications manager at the Springfield Urban League in the United States, looks at before-and-after photos showing the transformation of Yan'an at Baota Mountain in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, July 21, 2026. [Photo by Yang Jia/China.org.cn]

Zhavier Harris, marketing and communications manager at the Springfield Urban League in the United States, said the journey deepened the understanding he first gained when he retraced the route in 2016 as a student for the 80th anniversary of the Long March victory.

One of the greatest privileges of the journey, he said, was meeting the sons, daughters and grandchildren of Red Army soldiers while witnessing China's progress in infrastructure, technology and living standards.

"These exchanges replace assumptions with understanding, stereotypes with friendships, and distance with empathy," Harris said. He added that he would continue building bridges of cultural understanding by encouraging more young Americans to experience China firsthand and approach the world with curiosity, empathy and respect.

For Mark H. Levine, an American professor at Minzu University of China and a recipient of the Chinese Government Friendship Award, decades of living in China have turned the Long March from a distant historical narrative into a personal story.

Levine, who has visited revolutionary sites including Zunyi in Guizhou province, said China is now undertaking a new Long March of independent innovation, green development and inclusive growth amid an increasingly uncertain global environment.

The Long March spirit carries significance far beyond China, Levine said, and its values of resilience, unity and perseverance continue to inspire efforts to address shared challenges such as climate change, uneven development and regional conflicts.

David W. Ferguson, honorary chief English editor of Foreign Languages Press and a recipient of the Chinese Government Friendship Award, poses for a photo in front of the Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, July 21, 2026. [Photo by Zheng Wei/China.org.cn]

David W. Ferguson, honorary chief English editor of Foreign Languages Press and a recipient of the Chinese Government Friendship Award, who also completed the journey, said he had known for years that the Long March was difficult but had never fully grasped its details until he visited sites including the Chishui River and Luding Bridge.

"It was like a big jigsaw puzzle, and a lot of the pieces were missing. Now a lot more of the pieces are there," he said.

For Ferguson, the legacy of the Long March lies in a story that has never ended.

"The challenges that China has faced since the Long March and will face in the future will be different," he said."But they require exactly the same qualities." He added that those qualities are universally admired.

Participants take a group photo at an exchange session titled "The Enduring Echo of the Long March: Toward a Shared Future" in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, July 24, 2026. [Photo/CICG]