Tracing Red Footprints

Building Youth Dreams Together

Youth Under the Party Flag (Issue 41)

To further promote patriotism education among young League members and guide young people to comprehend the revolutionary spirit and inherit the red genes through field visits, on March 28, the Postgraduate Party Branch of the School of Biomedical Engineering and Electronics, and the League Branch of the 2025 Biomedical Engineering Program, School of Engineering, organized the event "Youth Under the Party Flag (Issue 41): Tracing Red Footprints, Building Youth Dreams Together".

Centered on on-site comprehension and field learning, the activity integrated museum study and on-site teaching by visiting red education bases and local cultural landmarks including Chaoyang Museum and Wenguang Pagoda. It helped young students deepen their understanding of the revolutionary spirit, strengthen cultural identity and confidence, gather youthful strength while tracing red footprints, and jointly forge youthful dreams of continuous struggle.

At Chaoyang Museum, students followed the guide into a corridor of history. Precious revolutionary relics, yellowed historical photos, and vivid scene restorations systematically presented the magnificent chapter of revolutionary struggles led by the Communist Party of China among the Chaoshan people. From the spark of the Great Revolution, to the beacon years of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, and then to the triumphant victory of the Liberation War, every period of history deeply shocked the young students present. They stopped to observe, listened carefully, and profoundly appreciated the firm ideals and beliefs, fearless fighting spirit, and profound patriotism of revolutionary ancestors, gaining a more concrete and in-depth understanding of the historical heritage and spiritual inheritance of this red land.

The group then visited Wenguang Pagoda, an iconic building in Chaoyang. Students walked around the ancient pagoda, carefully observing its majestic body, exquisite brick-and-stone structure, and overlapping upturned eaves. Combining on-site observation with background knowledge, they learned that this ancient pagoda, first built in the Ming Dynasty and restored several times, is not only a crystallization of the wisdom of ancient craftsmen but also a prominent landmark carrying local cultural context and collective memory.

Beneath the pagoda, students looked up at its full view and felt its solemn charm accumulated over years. By contrasting the ancient architecture with surrounding modern urban landscapes, they experienced the dialogue between traditional cultural heritage and contemporary urban development across time and space through quiet observation and admiration. Such close-up experience made history in textbooks tangible, deepening their recognition and cherishing of local cultural heritage.

Afterwards, students visited Shuangzhong Temple. In the solemn courtyard, through rich physical displays, mottled inscriptions, and detailed graphic panels, they systematically learned about the historical origin and cultural core of the "Shuangzhong" belief. From the heroic epic of Zhang Xun and Xu Yuan, famous generals of the Tang Dynasty, who defended Suiyang tenaciously, to the inheritance and evolution of this belief in Chaoshan over thousands of years, the profound historical narratives became clear and vivid.

In the tranquil atmosphere of the ancestral temple, young students stopped to ponder, personally experiencing the core spirit of loyalty to the country, care for the people, and protection of the homeland. They gained a more concrete and profound understanding of this folk belief deeply rooted in Chaoshan and the local historical memory condensed within it.

Coinciding with the annual grand parade of the Shuangzhong Sacred Kings, students experienced an immersive and authentic folk culture gala on site. The parade featured a huge formation, with colorful banners, elaborately decorated sedan chairs of the "Lord Gods", and simple and solemn honor guards passing by one after another, presenting a magnificent scene. The most thrilling part was the powerful and heroic Yingge Dance performance. Dancers painted their faces with facial masks, held short mallets, and leaped and moved to thunderous gongs, drums, and chants, with mallet twirling vividly. Their vigorous movements and surging rhythms fully displayed the integration of strength and beauty, drawing waves of cheers from the crowd and deep shock from the students. This unexpected "folk culture field class" allowed young students to truly touch the vibrant cultural pulse of Chaoshan.

Later, the group strolled to the adjacent Dongshan Park. Amid the lush greenery and pavilions in spring, they relaxed and exchanged their observations and insights, feeling the harmonious integration of natural scenery and cultural accumulation.

From solemn ancestral temples to bustling streets, and then to quiet parks, these immersive experiences enabled young students to not only receive the edification of the red spirit but also build a more comprehensive and profound emotional bond and cultural identity with this land from the perspective of daily life and folk customs.

During the activity, the leading teacher and key Party members of the branch shared their insights based on on-site scenes in real time, guiding students to reflect deeply on "how to inherit the red genes in the new era" and "how young students translate patriotism and ambition to strengthen the country into actions to serve the nation". Everyone learned while walking and discussed while observing, deepening their understanding through interactive communication. This "mobile League lesson" effectively broke the time and space boundaries of traditional classrooms, making patriotism education and ideal-belief education vivid, authentic, and profound in historical and cultural scenarios.

The "Youth Under the Party Flag" series will continue to uphold Party-building leadership, focus on serving the growth and success of young people, unite and lead young students to strengthen their faith foundation and hone professional abilities while tracing red footprints and staying true to their original aspirations. Let youth shine brightly through struggle and dedication, and jointly compose a splendid chapter of youth in the new era.

Text & Photos: School of Engineering