Internal Security Political Work

Taking Root and Thriving Through Hardship, They Stand Tall Like Wild Hawthorn Trees

落地生根、苦中有为，他们像野山楂树一样傲然挺立

PLA Daily (解放军报) 16 May 2026

Summary

The Dulanala Border Defense Company of the Xinjiang Military Region uses a hawthorn tree planted over 50 years ago by former company commander Chang Fuchuan as the organizing symbol of its unit culture (连魂), framing frontier hardship — highland concealment training in knee-deep snow on a 60-degree slope, chronic infrastructure shortages — as formative rather than punitive. The article documents how the company has institutionalized that framing across physical spaces: an activity room, reading room, vegetable cellar, and training ground all carry the 'Hawthorn' name, and junior enlisted soldiers produce the material culture themselves. This is standard political work content; its value is as a record of how a remote Xinjiang border unit constructs cohesion and retention narratives for soldiers at a hardship posting, not as evidence of a capability or posture change.

Translation

The May breeze, soft and gentle, drifts across the mountains and wilderness, coaxing open the blossoms of the wild hawthorn tree standing beside the gate of the Dulanala Border Defense Company of the Xinjiang Military Region.

The wild hawthorn tree was planted by former company commander Chang Fuchuan. More than 50 years ago, when the company was stationed at the foot of the Barluk Mountains—where summers are scorching and dry and winters are ravaged by wind and snow—Chang Fuchuan led the company's officers and soldiers to transplant a wild hawthorn sapling from a ditch one kilometer away into the garrison area, because the harsh climate left almost no greenery in sight.

Under everyone's careful tending, the wild hawthorn tree took root, sprouted, and survived. Having weathered more than half a century of frost, snow, and rain, it has grown into a tree of lush, spreading branches. Every September and October, bright red hawthorn berries fill its boughs, becoming a vivid splash of color in the garrison.

"The wild hawthorn tree is cold-resistant and drought-resistant, with tenacious vitality—just like us border defense soldiers!" As winters give way to springs, generation after generation of officers and soldiers have kept company with the wild hawthorn tree, forging the company's spirit (连魂): taking root wherever you land, and achieving something even in hardship (落地生根、苦中有为).

Every officer and soldier who comes to Dulanala and wants to "put down roots" must, like the proudly standing wild hawthorn tree, endure the test of a harsh environment.

For Platoon Leader Ahejiang, the most grueling experience was a highland concealment training mission. That night, snow reached their knees. Everyone lowered their center of gravity, linked arms, and climbed along the "Slope of Despair" (绝望坡), which averages a 60-degree gradient. Snow chunks poured into their boots through their trouser legs, and a bone-piercing cold rose from the soles of their feet; every step forward was an ordeal. Along the way they were hit by blowing snow. The officers and soldiers were so frozen their teeth chattered; every few steps they would stop to rub their hands and breathe warm air on them, encouraging one another until they finally reached their destination.

"After a long trek, the greatest fear is a sudden drop in body temperature." Ahejiang led his comrades to find a windbreak, cleared the snow, leveled the ground, and took turns carrying out observation duties. "When it got really cold, everyone would do a few push-ups to warm up."

Upon returning to the unit the next day, the few duty personnel who had remained at the company deliberately sang the company song to welcome back the comrades who had completed the mission: "The wild hawthorn tree keeps watch at the border post with me, I love beautiful Dulanala…"

"Compared with ordinary hawthorn, wild hawthorn berries are more tart and astringent, but we steep them in water or make them into jam—they have a flavor all their own." Standing beneath the wild hawthorn tree, Corporal Wang Qingpeng has his own insight: people are just like trees—as long as you keep going, you can live a brilliant life even at a desolate frontier pass.

When Wang Qingpeng first arrived at the company, he ran straight into a heavy snowfall. The company organized a snow sled race, and he volunteered to take the field, competing against Corporal Wunizha. The two shot off like arrows from a bowstring, their snowboards flying across the snow surface and sending up cascading waves of white. Although Wang Qingpeng did not win the race, his refusal to be beaten earned him round after round of applause.

In recent years, with the care and support of higher authorities, the company's various facilities have gradually improved. A water storage tank was built; water purifiers and water dispensers arrived; the bumpy dirt roads nearby were paved into smooth asphalt. Last year, the company's activity room was completed, and officers and soldiers can play instruments, paint, and sing in this small world of their own—a joy beyond words. Everyone named the activity room the "Hawthorn Rest Pavilion" (山楂小憩轩), a name full of poetic feeling that adds a moving touch of color to the outpost.

Staff Sergeant (Second Class) Zhang Xilong and his comrades made the signboard with their own hands. They aligned and spliced together old target poles, sanded them carefully, and fashioned them into a single smooth plank. They then traced the character outlines in pencil, squeezed raised lines of putty compound, and as a spray torch scorched the entire plank, the characters "Hawthorn Rest Pavilion" gradually emerged. Zhang Xilong then picked up a paintbrush and painted two hawthorn berries in the upper right corner of the plank; their vivid color reflected the burning passion in everyone's hearts.

Gradually, the activity room welcomed a growing number of artworks carefully crafted by officers and soldiers: Corporal Pang Shuai's ink wash painting "Morning Light" (晨曦), which captures the morning of the company's early drill beneath a sky ablaze with rosy clouds; Corporal Zhu Zhaoning's hawthorn tree "twisted" from copper wire, hung with small crimson fruits made from paper balls… Today, the company also has a "Hawthorn Reading Room" (山楂书屋), a "Hawthorn Old Vegetable Cellar" (山楂老菜窖), and a "Hawthorn Training Ground" (山楂训练场). Just as the company song goes, the wild hawthorn tree keeps watch at the border post alongside the officers and soldiers, and the spirit of taking root wherever you land and achieving something even in hardship has been woven into every person's heart.

Original Chinese

五月的风，轻柔漫过山野，吹开了新疆军区杜拉那拉边防连营门口旁那棵野山楂树的花。野山楂树是老连长常付川种下的。50多年前，连队驻扎到夏季炎热干燥、冬季风雪肆虐的巴尔鲁克山脚下，由于气候环境恶劣、四周难见绿色，常付川便带领连队官兵将一公里外水沟旁的一棵野山楂树苗移栽至营区。在大家的细心照料下，野山楂树生根发芽、存活下来。历经半个多世纪风霜雪雨洗礼，野山楂树已长得枝繁叶茂、郁郁葱葱，每年的九十月份，红彤彤的山楂果结满枝头，成了营区一抹亮丽的景色。 “野山楂树耐寒耐旱，生命力顽强，就像咱们边防战士！”冬去春来，一茬茬官兵与野山楂树相守相伴，也铸就出连魂——落地生根、苦中有为。每一名来到杜拉那拉的官兵想要“生出根”来，也要像傲然挺立的野山楂树一样，经受住严酷环境的考验。在排长阿合江心中，最艰难的事莫过于一次高地潜伏训练任务。那夜大雪没膝，大家压低重心，手挽着手在平均坡度达60°的“绝望坡”攀爬行进。雪块顺着裤腿灌进靴子里，刺骨的冰凉从脚底传来，每挪动一步都十分不易。途中遇上风吹雪，官兵冻得牙齿打颤，每走几步就停下来搓搓手、哈口气，相互鼓励直至抵达目的地。 “长时间跋涉后，最怕体温骤降。”阿合江带领战友们找到一处背风地带，清理积雪、平整地面后，轮流执行观察任务，“实在冷了，大家就做几个俯卧撑暖暖身体。” 翌日归队后，留守连队的几名值班人员特意唱起连歌迎接完成任务的战友们：“野山楂树伴我守边卡，我爱美丽的杜拉那拉……” “比起普通山楂，野山楂果子更酸涩，但我们用它泡水或者制作果酱，别有一番风味。”站在野山楂树下，中士王清鹏有着自己的心得，其实人和树一样，只要坚持下去，在荒凉的边关也会活出精彩的人生。王清鹏刚下连时就遇上一场大雪。当时连队组织大家开展雪地雪橇赛，他自告奋勇上了赛场，和中士乌尼泽哈一较高下。两人如离弦之箭冲了出去，雪板在雪面上飞速滑行，溅起层层雪浪。虽然王清鹏没能赢得比赛，但他不服输的精神获得大家阵阵掌声。近些年，在上级关心和帮助下，连队各类设施逐渐完善。不仅建起蓄水池，有了净水器与饮水机，周围颠簸的土路也变成平坦的沥青路。去年，连队活动室建成，官兵可以在这方小天地里弹琴、作画、唱歌，心里有说不出的高兴。大家为活动室取名“山楂小憩轩”，这个充满诗意的名字，为哨所增添了一抹动人的色彩。二级上士张喜龙和战友们亲手制作挂牌，他们将一根根旧靶杆对齐拼接、仔细打磨，做成一整块光滑的木板。之后用铅笔描出字形轮廓，用腻子膏挤出一道道凸起的线条，随着喷枪灼烧整块木板，“山楂小憩轩”几个字逐渐显现。张喜龙随即拿起画笔，在木板右上角画了两颗山楂果，那鲜亮的颜色映照着大家火热的内心。慢慢地，活动室里迎来了不少官兵精心制作的艺术品，中士庞帅绘制的水墨画《晨曦》，记录了连队出早操那个朝霞满天的早上；中士朱兆宁用铜丝“拧”出一棵山楂树，上面挂着一个个用纸团做成的殷红小果子……如今，连队还有了“山楂书屋”“山楂老菜窖”“山楂训练场”。如同连歌里唱的那样，野山楂树伴着官兵守边卡，落地生根、苦中有为的精神已融入每个人心中。