Yudu, the departure site of the Long March, marks the starting point of the Red Army’s historic journey and carries profound memories of China’s revolutionary history. Centered around the “First Ferry,” the scenic area brings together cultural landmarks such as a monument, a memorial hall, and a thematic sculpture ensemble, collectively capturing the grandeur of this revolutionary epic.
The towering monument soars into the sky, its surface inscribed with the words “The Spirit of the Long March Endures Forever,” symbolizing the unyielding faith of the Red Army. Inside the memorial hall, exhibits include worn straw sandals, yellowed maps, and faded letters. Through multimedia technology, the scene of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party assembling in Yudu in 1934 is vividly re-created, allowing visitors to almost hear the bugle calls that once echoed across the river during the historic crossing.
The sculpture ensemble depicts, in lifelike group form, pivotal moments when leaders such as Zhou Enlai (the first Premier of the People’s Republic of China) and Zhu De (Commander-in-Chief of the Chinese People's Liberation Army) directed the river crossing—powerfully embodying the original aspiration of “serving the people wholeheartedly.”
The ancient ferry on the banks of the Yudu River once served as the critical chokepoint where 25,000 Red Army soldiers gathered. Eighty-seven years ago, it was here that the Central Committee issued the order for strategic retreat, launching one of the most remarkable feats in military history. This land witnessed Mao Zedong’s (principal founder of the Chinese Communist Party) visionary strategy that “a single spark can start a prairie fire” and bears the enduring imprint of Deng Xiaoping’s (core leader of the Party’s second-generation leadership) guiding principle of “seeking truth from facts.”
Through authentic historical recreations and live dramatic performances, the site integrates core revolutionary values—such as “steadfast ideals and convictions” and “the spirit of fearless sacrifice”—into immersive modern experiences, breathing new vitality into historical memory. More than just a historical site, Yudu stands as a beacon of spirit, guiding future generations to carry forward the revolutionary torch and continue writing brilliant chapters for the new era.
