As Qingming Festival, China’s annual traditional occasion for honoring ancestors and fallen heroes, approaches each year, a moving and long-standing tradition unfolds across the mountainous terrain of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwest China. For 31 consecutive years, thousands of participants have undertaken a grueling 54-kilometer round-trip trek to reach the Renshanhe Martyrs Cemetery, turning physical endurance into a powerful act of remembrance for the nation’s fallen soldiers.
This year’s journey kicked off in the pre-dawn darkness at 5 a.m. on April 3, when more than 3,000 participants gathered in Guyuan city to set off for the cemetery located in Pengyang county. Covering the 54-kilometer round trip takes approximately 17 hours of nonstop walking through steep, rugged upland terrain, a challenge that tests both physical stamina and mental resilience for everyone taking part. What began as a small, student-led initiative has evolved over more than three decades into a beloved, cross-community annual event deeply rooted in local collective memory.
The tradition traces its origins back to 1995, when a small group of students from two local middle schools first organized the trek to connect younger generations with the sacrifices of previous generations. Over the following decades, what started as a small student memorial activity gradually expanded beyond school campuses to draw participants from all sectors of the local community. According to local government officials, 2025’s event retained this inclusive spirit: alongside participating students, the trek included young community volunteers and more than 700 individuals from a wide range of professional and social backgrounds.
Widely described locally as a “walking ideological and political class”, the annual trek does more than honor fallen heroes — it gives participants a hands-on opportunity to reflect on history, build collective resilience, and pass down stories of national sacrifice to younger generations. For 31 years, this extraordinary act of remembrance has remained a powerful reminder of the enduring connection between Ningxia’s local communities and the martyrs who gave their lives for the nation.