Exercises Political Work

Light, Shadow, Time, and Space | Wherever the Battle Is Fought, That Is Where Everyone Studies

光影时空丨仗打到哪里，大家就学到哪里

PLA Daily (解放军报) 1 June 2026

Summary

A brigade of the 82nd Group Army conducted a 'Theory Gauntlet' (理论闯关) political education drill on the training ground, pairing it with an archival photo of Eighth Route Army soldiers studying during a combat lull to frame the activity as continuity with revolutionary tradition. This is standard political work content — specifically a grassroots ideological education feature of the type PLA media runs routinely to document that units are meeting political study requirements during field training. Its value is as a record of how the institution frames political education as inseparable from combat readiness, not as evidence of a new policy line or changed unit posture.

Translation

Forging the Soul Through Study, Driving Combat Through Study

During the War of Resistance Against Japan, Eighth Route Army officers and soldiers gathered in a circle during a lull in fighting to earnestly study political theory. [Archival photo]

Recently, officers and soldiers of a brigade under the 82nd Group Army organized a "Theory Gauntlet" (理论闯关) activity during a training break to test their learning outcomes. Photo by Hu Jiquan.

Two photographs, separated by decades, yet what they display is the inheritance and continuation of the same fine tradition (优良传统)——

On a battlefield where the smoke of gunpowder had not yet cleared, Eighth Route Army officers and soldiers sat together in a circle during a lull in combat, jointly studying a mimeographed newsletter. One person read aloud; everyone else listened. What came through, unmistakably, was a plain and earnest pursuit of theory and conviction.

On the training ground of a brigade under the 82nd Group Army, officers and soldiers finished their training, and a lively "Theory Gauntlet" got underway on the spot. The moment a squad leader finished reading a question from a card, hands shot up as everyone competed to answer. The vivid and animated approach to study and education gave an immediate, visceral sense of that fervent drive to learn.

Wherever the battle is fought, that is where everyone studies——this is the theme of this fine tradition.

(Liu Fan)

Original Chinese

以学铸魂以学促战抗战时期，八路军官兵在战斗间隙围坐一起，认真学习政治理论。资料图片近日，第82集团军某旅官兵在训练间隙组织“理论闯关”活动，检验学习成果。胡基泉摄两张照片，相隔数十载，展现的却是同一优良传统的传承与延续—— 硝烟未散的战场上，八路军官兵在战斗间隙围坐一起，共同学习一张油印小报。一人读，众人听，扑面而来的，是一份对理论和信仰的朴实追求。第82集团军某旅训练场上，官兵们结束训练，一场别开生面的“理论闯关”就地展开。班长拿着卡片，一念完题目，便引得众人举手抢答。生动活泼的学习教育方式，让人直观感受到那股热切的学习劲头。仗打到哪里，大家就学到哪里——这，就是这一优良传统的主题。（刘凡）