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There are many special customs circulating in a brigade of the 77th Group Army guarding the snow-covered plateau.
These military camp customs that started and continued in the plateau troops are like "miniature scenes" depicting the life of the grassroots military, or like "silhouette paintings" that freeze the style of the plateau soldiers. A piece of hot land "sweet flowers and snowy moon" and border guards' home and country feelings.
In the early spring, reporters interviewed by the brigade picked up several representative customs for readers.
In the border barracks, whenever officers and soldiers receive hometown specialties sent by their relatives, they will take the initiative to share with their comrades--
The taste of hometown in "Hundred Family Banquet"
Heat oil on medium heat, stir fry onion, ginger and garlic to taste, put in "secret chili sauce" and sauté until fragrant, then turn to low heat and simmer to collect juice... Uncover the pot, and as the water mist rises and spreads along the stove, a strong aroma Dongpo's elbow was served on the dining table of the ninth company of a brigade of the 77th Army.
The one who cooks this main dish is Yi Beichen, a soldier from Meishan, Sichuan.
He told reporters that Dongpo elbow is a famous dish in his hometown, and the "secret chili sauce" he just used was made and sent by his father. Yan', this time it's finally my turn to show off!"
The "Hundred Family Banquet" mentioned by Yi Beichen is a unique custom of the brigade.
On the birthdays of officers and soldiers or on New Year's holidays, relatives in the mainland will send some hometown specialties to relieve the "homesickness" of the soldiers on the frontier.
Therefore, whenever officers and soldiers receive special products from their hometowns, they ask the cooking class to do it for them, or they take the initiative to share the "taste of hometown" with their comrades.
In this way, this custom called "Hundred Family Banquet" continued.
This weekend before the Lantern Festival, there were more couriers sent to the military camp than in the past. In Jiulian alone, 6 officers and soldiers received packages from their hometowns.
Among them, there is a large cardboard box sent from Shaoshan, Hunan to Sergeant Chen Guodong.
Unpacking, taking out an oiled paper bag and hurriedly walking into the cooking class, Chen Guodong couldn't wait to taste the long-lost "hometown flavor" earlier.
Different from Yi Beichen, if the complicated process of Dongpo elbow is a "fine brush painting", then what Chen Guodong brings is a "big freehand" - big fire, wide oil, sprinkling, stir-frying, In just three or five minutes, a stir-fried bacon was freshly cooked.
"We Xiangyazi like to eat bacon in spring. We have been in the army for 7 years. Every year in Lichun, our family will send bacon here." He picked up a piece of bacon and sent it into his mouth. In the plateau military camp, which is nearly 4,000 kilometers away from home, the local accent unconsciously pops out in the speech.
Authentic Dongpo elbows, stir-fried bacon with exquisite ingredients, refreshing and delicious Qingtuan... On this ordinary weekend night, a table of "Hundred Family Banquets" carrying rural flavor and nostalgia was put on the plateau soldiers. dining table.
"It's still the old rule. Before dinner, you should call your family and say that you are safe." With the greeting of company commander Jia Hui, Northeast Dialect, Guanzhong Dialect, Sichuan-Chongqing Dialect, and Wu Nong's Soft Dialect all came into battle, and there were mixed words in the middle. Tibetan and Uyghur.
Suddenly, the local accents and dialects of different regions meet in this place called "China Border".
"Look (you), let's have dinner together." Facing the phone screen with a grin, Jia Hui spoke the authentic Henan dialect, and once again said what he most often said to his mother, "Don't worry, mother, my son is here. Alright!"
In this brigade, it is a big event for the military wife to come to the team, please see——
The most intimate care for the military sister-in-law
"Lao Si, do you still have time to 'embroider' here? Why don't you hurry up and start!"
After lunch, Si Chaochao, a fourth-level sergeant major of a brigade of the 77th Group Army, turned on the tap and was about to wash the dishes when he was "driven" out of the restaurant by company commander Li Jinbao to take an official car sent by the brigade.
Before leaving, Li Jinbao held a bouquet of flowers and handed them to Si Chaochao: "It's not easy to buy these flowers in winter. I ordered them online a week in advance. I know you can't think of this, even if I sent you for the company!"
The so-called "timidity of close relatives", all the way over mountains and mountains, the car is getting closer and closer to the airport, Si Chaochao's mood is also more and more uneasy.
After a short wait, the flight he was looking forward to finally landed smoothly. After nearly 10 months of separation and more than 4,000 kilometers, his wife Wang Huijun finally passed through the crowd and appeared in front of him.
"You still learned romance and know how to give flowers?" "Uh... the company commander gave you, no, the company gave it to me, let me give it to you."
Although his mouth is clumsy, the "wife-loving" Si Chaochao still expresses his love in his own way: I saw that he took the large and small bags from his wife and carried them on his back, and then freed his left hand to hold his wife's hand tightly. in the palm of your hand.
Back in the car, the driver had already placed the oxygen bag, oximeter, Rhodiola oral liquid, plateau skin cream and other "military sister-in-law suits" on the seat in advance. A complete set of medical supplies was specially prepared for each military wife who came to visit relatives.
In this border barracks, the arrival of military wives can be regarded as a major event: the brigade is a relocated defense force, and many officers and soldiers have settled in the mainland before, so more than 80% of the married soldiers live in two places.
A few years ago, due to the imperfect supporting facilities in the camp area and the harsh conditions of the camp, although they suffered from lovesickness, few family members came to the team to visit relatives.
Whenever a military sister-in-law comes, the troops are guaranteed with the highest standards, just like a festival.
Back to the camp, just in time for lunch.
According to the practice of "the army's wife comes to the team to celebrate the festival", the company has brought forward the dinner every Friday to this evening.
"Welcome to my sister-in-law! I hope my sister-in-law will come often!" In the cheers of the soldiers, Wang Huijun was surrounded by the dining table.
"Get on the dumplings and get off the noodles. When you arrive at the camp, you will be at your own home. If you have any difficulties, please tell me anytime!" With that, the camp instructor Zhao Xufeng brought a bowl of fragrant Yangchun noodles to Wang Huijun.
Afterwards, he handed over a red envelope with the words "Military Wife Gift Pack" on the cover, "It contains the contact cards of our health company, repair team, express delivery point and life supermarket. You can call anytime you need, and you can provide door-to-door service. . In addition, there are fitness cards and book loan cards, just swipe the cards..."
After dinner, Si Chaochao took his wife to the family area. After completing the normal combat readiness training, officers and soldiers whose family members came to the team can choose to take a rest and return to the apartment to accompany their relatives during the rest time.
"Knowing that you're on the team, Lianli adjusted my duty this month, and even allowed me to go out these weekends. Then I'll accompany you to the surrounding scenic spots." Si Chaochao smiled honestly.
He took out the key and opened the door of the temporary family's house. Although it was only a temporary residence, the conditions were no worse than Wang Huijun's residence in his hometown: Wi-Fi, smart TV, water heater, induction cooker, wall-mounted heater...the windows were bright and clean. Apartments have all kinds of furniture and appliances.
The setting sun slanted westward, and the lights came out from the windows of each household, warming the entire family area.
Looking at the snow-capped mountains hidden in the sunset in the distance, Wang Huijun understood the unique romance of soldiers, and she said to her husband: "Tell you something, I decided to visit my family more in the future."
My plateau "meeting ceremony"
■Private Li Jinlong of a brigade of the 77th Group Army
In the clear blue sky, eagles fly over the top of the snow-capped mountains from time to time... I am no stranger to this plateau scenery in front of me.
Since I liked to read travel magazines when I was a student, I was full of yearning for this magical land of the Tibetan Plateau.
Four years ago, on the first summer vacation after entering university, I completed my first trip to Tibet with the savings on living expenses.
Afterwards, I returned to the plateau three times, leaving footprints among many snow-capped mountains and glaciers.
Out of my love for the plateau, when I signed up for the army last year, I filled in "Tibet" in the column of intention to serve.
Fortunately, my dream came true.
After finishing the recruit training in the mainland, this spring, I walked into this plateau military camp at an altitude of nearly 4,000 meters.
The first days were easy.
As we are worried that we will develop acute altitude sickness, according to convention, during the half-month adjustment period just after entering the plateau, new fighters are prohibited from participating in strenuous exercise except for gradually participating in adaptive training.
In half a month, we have learned more about the plateau, and a new test has come as scheduled.
"I've come to the plateau for so long, and tomorrow I'll let everyone see how harsh it is." On the day when the recruits' adjustment period ended, the company commander announced an "old rule": according to convention, at the end of adaptive training, recruits must take one The 30-kilometer mountain march is a "meeting ceremony" on the plateau.
"Stick to the end, even if you have a firm foothold in the plateau!" The company commander encouraged us loudly.
"It's only 30 kilometers, and I walked through it when the recruits were in the company." I muttered silently in my heart.
Wearing steel helmets, holding rifles, wearing combat gear, and wearing combat boots... After we set off, we were very excited when we were fully armed and sang passionate battle songs. My comrades and I left our footprints in the ravines of the plateau and mountains. .
After walking 3 kilometers, the scenery around me was pleasant, and I looked relaxed; when I walked 10 kilometers, the surroundings were white, and although I was a little tired, it was not a big problem... However, when I was halfway through the journey, I gradually felt something different: my body Why is my equipment getting heavier?
Why are the steps under your feet getting heavier and heavier?
Why is it that my lungs are like a leaking "broken bellows", while my mouth is open and panting heavily, making me panic?
"How is it, Gao (yuan) reacted (responded), right? It's the same way when I first entered Gaoyuan!"
Out of breath, dry mouth, splitting headache, and weakness in the limbs... After the half march, I was tortured by altitude sickness, and I couldn't take care of enjoying any scenery along the way except for the hope that the training would end sooner. .
Like many new comrades-in-arms, I was supported by several veterans and passed the finish line in embarrassment.
At that moment, I finally understood the meaning of this "meeting ceremony": to ordinary people, the plateau shows its magnificence, but to the soldiers, the plateau often shows the grim side.
As a plateau soldier, if you want to conquer the plateau, you must pass strict training and scientific training to improve the ability to adapt to the harsh environment of the plateau.
Compilation of small comments
Understand the plateau military camp from customs
Customs are the most vivid cultural expression symbols of a group.
When a rule, a tradition, and a practice in the barracks settle into a culture, there is a custom.
Tracing the origin, we will find that these military camp customs have unique backgrounds, they all show the good looks of the people's children and soldiers, and they all carry the red heritage of the people's army.
The so-called "one side of the water and soil nourishes the other side", different soil will give birth to different customs.
Just as in this piece of land known as "Plateau Barracks", when "hometown" and "snowland" overlap, when "parting" and "reunion" are intertwined, when "bitter cold" and "youth" meet, such as the company "Hundred and One Hundred" A series of "barracks customs" unique to this hot land came into being.
Customs are alive because of the culture they contain.
Although with the passage of time, the origin of many customs originating from the plateau military camp has not been verified, but those traditions have long been condensed into the feelings of time. Flashes like lights, reflecting the past and illuminating the future.
This edition of the manuscript is provided by the special correspondents of this newspaper, Li Jiahao, correspondents Jia Wenxin, Yue Lanlin and Fu Yu