In the smoke of battle, a young man's hands raised a satchel charge. With a single battle cry, this courageous life was forever fixed at the age of 19. "For a new China, advance!"
On May 25, 1948, in Longhua, Hebei Province, during our army's assault on Longhua City, Dong Cunrui stepped forward at a critical moment, resolutely took up the satchel charge, charged toward the enemy's concealed bunker, and with his own life opened the path of advance for his unit.
The three medals of valor awarded to Dong Cunrui.
78 years have passed. That battle cry has never grown distant.
Some ask: what kind of backbone does a soldier in a time of peace need?
After Dong Cunrui's sacrifice, the squad he belonged to in life was designated the "Dong Cunrui Squad." A bunk has been kept reserved for him ever since, decade after decade without exception. At daily roll call, the first name called is always "Dong Cunrui." The entire squad answers in unison: "Here! Here! Here!"
Those three responses are a salute across time and space. They are the transmission of a spiritual bloodline (精神血脉).
In the "Dong Cunrui Company," the first lesson for new soldiers joining the unit is to study the Dong Cunrui spirit. The first film they watch is Dong Cunrui. The first song they learn is "Generation After Generation We Cry Out Dong Cunrui."
"Here! Here! Here!"
The shouts of the officers and soldiers of the "Dong Cunrui Company" of a certain brigade of the 78th Group Army resound across Cunrui Square. This is not only the soldiers' answer to the calling of Dong Cunrui's name—it is also their practical response to striving to embody the words: "It is the greatest honor to complete the arduous tasks entrusted by the Party."
Over 78 years, the unit in which Dong Cunrui served in life has undergone multiple reorganizations, relocations, and equipment changes. Times change, equipment changes—but the faith carved into the bones of Dong Cunrui's successors has never changed.
Facing the mission tasks of the new era, this heroic collective has always charged at the forefront, delivering, through the overcoming of difficulties and obstacles, a qualified answer sheet as "new-era successors of Dong Cunrui."
Before the floods, pairs of hands reached out once again to lift and support.
In 2017, not long after the "Dong Cunrui Squad" relocated to Jilin City, parts of Jilin City's counties and districts were struck by an extraordinary rainstorm. They were the first to submit a petition for combat assignment (请战书) to the company Party branch, rushing to the front lines of flood-fighting and emergency rescue. After seven days and seven nights of fierce struggle, the "Dong Cunrui Squad" completed its mission with distinction. The squad was collectively awarded a third-class merit citation.
That petition for combat assignment is the backbone that did not yield a single step before the flood crest. It is the shoulder that would not bend under the weight of ten thousand lights burning in homes behind them. And it is the most resolute pledge of the hero's successors to their old squad leader.
As the current commander of the "Dong Cunrui Company" put it: "We have only the obligation to bring honor to the old squad leader—we have no right to bring him disgrace!"
78 years on—why can we never forget him at 19?
We cannot forget. We dare not forget.
Dong Cunrui gave his life to the dawn of a new China. That cry of "For a new China, advance!" still echoes to this day in the bloodstream of every soldier.
We today are using that same posture—
Lifting, charging, standing unmoved—
To write the answer belonging to this era:
The hero has never left.
Old squad leader, we are here.
Please rest assured.
Planning: Yu Jialin, Wang Zehao, Ma Jieyu, Yan Siqi
Editing: Cui Jingjing, Chen Lu, Zhao Xiaoqian
Material compilation: Wu Yue, Li Weilong, Zhang Yuhe, Shen Yujunzhe, Deng Rufei, Wang Xiaoying
This article received strong support from Ni Hui, Hu Xi, Wang Haiyang, and Zhang Peng
Source: China Military Channel (中国军号), synthesizing Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily, China Military Online, the Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China, Qiushi, the Dong Cunrui Martyrs' Cemetery and Memorial Hall, and others