“Youth and War Flames – Young Figures of the New Fourth Army” Helps Macao Youth Know State

Directed by Jiangsu Overseas Association, supported by Macau Jiangsu Friendship Association, Jiangsu Hong Kong Cultural Association, co-organized by Yancheng Overseas Association, New Fourth Army Memorial Hall, Centre for Chinese History and Culture (CCHC), National Conditions Education Association (Macau), The “Youth and War Flames – Young Figures of the New Fourth Army” was recently held at Centre for Chinese History and Culture of the University of Macau.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Youth League of China. The exhibition captures 54 representative New Fourth Army youth deeds. The original intention and mission of the Chinese Communists and young soldiers of the New Fourth Army are explained intensively. The aims are to enable Macao youth to understand the history of the suffering of the motherland and the history of struggle since modern times, to feel the firm faith and spirit of the Chinese Communist Party of leading the entire nation’s compatriots to save the country, rejuvenate the country, and strengthen the country, to effectively promote the identity of adolescents with the State and the nation, to gather more patriotic forces and to strengthen patriotic education.

The event kicked off with a video presentation of “Youth and War Flames – Young Figures of the New Fourth Army,” during which the narrator of the New Fourth Army Memorial Hall presented the red story “Red Romance of the Prosperous Years” and the red scene recited “Song for Prisoner.”

In the speech of, Li Weihua, Deputy Minister of the United Front Work Department of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee and Vice President of Jiangsu Overseas Association, said, In modern times, outstanding children such as Zhou Enlai, Qu Qiubai, Zhang Wentian, Yun Daiying, Zhang Tailei and Qin Bangxian had emerged in Jiangsu. Thousands of revolutionary martyrs fought and sacrificed on the land of Jiangsu in order to resist aggression for people’s liberation and the country’s rebirth. The “Iron Army Spirit” of the New Fourth Army, cast in blood, is one of the bright undertones of Jiangsu’s local culture, which is a valuable cultural asset in Chinese civilization history.

Zhu Shoutong, Director of the Centre for Chinese History and Culture at the University of Macau, believes that the smooth running of the exhibition shows that the epidemic is on its way out, that Covid-19 will surely fall and that normal order will return to our lives. Zhu also highlighted the relationship between the leaders of the New Fourth Army and Macao, showing that Macao is a city to be proud of since it has not been absent from an important part of modern Chinese revolutionary history.

Speaking as a representative of the students, Yang Wenpei of the University of Macau said that when she visited the exhibition, she felt the state spirit of the New Fourth Army. Home is the smallest country, and the country is a thousand families. The historical stories behind the pictures are imbued with a strong sense of family and nationality and vividly convey a nation’s rich heritage.

Yin Rutao, Deputy Director General of the Department of Publicity and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR; Li Weihua, Deputy Minister of the United Front Work Department of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee and Vice President of the Jiangsu Overseas Association; Wong Chio In, Head of Divison of Educational Planning and Facility of the Education and Youth Development Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; Lam Vai Ip, Head of Division of Art Development of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; Ma Io Fong, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Macao; Sham Chin Ping, Member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) of Jiangsu Province and President of the Macao Jiangsu Friendship Association; Chen Hui Yu, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC of Jiangsu Province and President of the Jiangsu & Hong Kong Cultural Association; Linda Chen, President of the Macau Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture Association; Zhang Zhizhong, Director of the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Department of the United Front Work Department of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee; Wang Huan, Fourth Grade Researcher of the United Front Work Department of the Yancheng Municipal Party Committee and member of the Party Committee of the Yancheng City Federation of Industry and Commerce; Qiu Jinbiao, Director of the New Fourth Army Memorial Hall in Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province; Xu Jie, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Macau, were the officiating guests. After the kick-off ceremony, the guests were guided by a lecturer from the New Fourth Army Memorial Hall to visit the “Youth and War Flames – Young Figures of the New Fourth Army” Exhibition. It is reported that the event kicked off at CCHC and is planned to come to more Macau campuses in the future.