This year is the 70th anniversary of the successful end of the Long March by the Chinese Red Army. The Long March is not only just an episode in Chinese history, but has also become a symbol of the dauntless spirit of the Chinese people. Over the past decades, numerous songs of various styles have had the theme of the Long March. Some of these songs are decades old, having come into existence during the Long March itself. Some others are quite newly written.

The Long March is a shared memory of the Chinese people. The dauntless spirit of the Red Army soldiers that is exemplified through the Long March has provided endless inspiration for people around the country. Therefore, wherever you go in China, you can probably find some folk tunes that are specially dedicated to the Long March. The Jiangxi folk song "Ten Send the Red Army" is a fairly famous one. Jiangxi was a revolutionary base for the Red Army at that time. Many of the Red Army soldiers also came from that area. The local people and the army had formed a very good friendship. The song expresses the reluctance of Jiangxi people to see off the Red Army, who were departing the region to start their Long March. Mile after mile along the route, local people were hesitant to bid farewell to the beloved army. Again and again, they urged the soldiers to come back as soon as possible. In "Ten Send the Red Army," the beautiful melody and special lyrics written in Hakka endow this song with a charm that has endured 40 years. Now let's enjoy this beautiful song together.

"Our Life is Full of Sunlight" expresses the optimism and courage of young Red Army soldiers in the Long March. These young people also had their own youthful dreams and passions of love. However, they put the nation's fate ahead of all other things. Love made them ever more united in their goal, which was to fight for the ultimate national liberation. For this goal, they even prepared to sacrifice their lives. The lyrics say, "The flower of happiness blossoms in our hearts. The song of love flies in the wind. Our hearts have flown to the destination long ahead, with a beautiful dream of revolution. People in love march hand in hand. Our life is full of sunlight. The twin lotuses vie with each other to flower, while the twin birds fly side by side. We face the tempest of war on the road of the Long March and devote our youth and strength to our beloved motherland." The song is quite old, but the version you are listening to is a remake by Zheng Jun, a rock singer from the Chinese mainland.

Besides the songs specifically describing soldiers in the Long March, there are also many others telling of the views of the general public towards the Long March. "Deep Affection and Long Friendship" is one of them. Many of the soldiers in the Red Army came from poor families. They devoted themselves to the liberation cause because they wanted to change the fate of the suppressed poor under the Kuomintang rule. So everywhere they went, people welcomed them. The lyrics of the song best express the relationship between Red Army soldiers and civilians: "Colorful clouds flow in the sky. From the horizon flies a canary bird. Soldiers of the Red Army are our brothers and sisters. They never fear the long journey in the Long March. The azaleas blossom one after another. The Red Army passes by our homeland. The road they take is the road of revolution. The flowers of revolution blossom in our heart."

This beautiful song has been sung by many famous singers. This time we'll listen to pop star Han Hong's version. Han Hong is one of the few singers who can bring ethnic music and pop music together in a harmonious way. She is good at adding pop elements to folk songs. Now let's hear "Deep Affection and Long Friendship".

Nowadays, the significance of the Long March has expanded. When today's youngsters seek to realize their own dreams, they often try to learn from their forefather's Long March spirit and become brave and strong-minded. "Rock-and-role in the New Long March" is a reflection of this kind of mentality. By a comparison of situations in the Long March and in modern society, Cui Jian, the so-called godfather of Chinese rock music, tries to convince his audience that they are actually on the road of a new Long March, a march to search for self-identification. So today, we'll conclude our topic on the Long March with this rock number which has been seen as a milestone in the history of Chinese rock music. Hope you like it.