China News Service, Yichang, April 8 (Yang Weiwang, Pengfei and Ma Xinlei) "As long as I am still here, I will keep a day for martyr Pei Guangqing and pass on the heroic spirit." Fire in Yuyangguan Town, Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County, Hubei Province Luo Chuanlu, a villager in Tiankeng Village, said on the 8th.
Luo Chuanlu is 37 years old this year. For 94 years, Luo Chuanlu and his great-grandfather, grandfather, father, brother and other seven people have successively guarded the tomb of martyr Pei Guangqing, which has become a local legend.
According to Luo Chuanlu, in 1930, during the Fourth Red Army's second eastward march, soldier Pei Guangqing was killed while collecting intelligence near Huotiankeng Village with the organization's approval. After Pei Guangqing died, Luo Chuanlu's great-grandfather Luo Nanlin risked his life and organized his family to bury the martyr.
After that, Luo Nanlin began to guard Pei Guangqing's tomb and warned future generations to pay homage to the martyrs every year just like sweeping their ancestors' tombs. After Luo Nanlin's death, Luo Chuanlu's grandfather Luo Jingzhang, his father Luo Shuqing, and his brothers Luo Chuanjun and Luo Chuanzheng successively guarded the tomb of the martyrs.
Luo Chuanlu took his children to wipe the tombstones of the martyrs. Photo by Wang Pengfei
In 2016, in order to take care of his mother Du Shifen, he chose to return home after 12 years of migrant work. When worshiping ancestors in the twelfth lunar month, Du Shifen told Luo Chuanlu to pay homage to the tomb of martyr Pei Guangqing.
In 2018, Luo Chuanlu applied to join the party. In June of the same year, he went to Jinggangshan to study and was deeply influenced by red education. After returning home, Luo Chuanlu carefully understood the deeds of martyr Pei Guangqing, sincerely admired the martyr, and took the initiative to protect the tomb of the martyr.
The tomb of martyr Pei Guangqing is at the foot of the mountain, surrounded by trees. If it is not cleaned for ten and a half months, weeds will grow. Luo Chuanlu and his family often take turns to clean and sweep the tomb.
Afterwards, Luo Chuanlu joined the Huotiankeng Village Veterans Service Station. With the support of the service station, he began to discover local red stories and organized volunteer activities to manage and protect the martyrs' tombs.
Luo Chuanlu said that he wanted more people to know the deeds of these martyrs, understand history and cherish the present. (over)