Long March: More than a tough journey

A visitor takes a close look at the exhibition on Long March and the Zunyi Conference: 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Long March on September 2, 2016 at Shanghai Library. [Photo/IC]

"Long March? Oh... an old word. Long March to me is a bike, a period of time, an unforgettable memory," said an elderly man with a round face and clear eyes, a lit cigarette in his hand.

"I was a teenager in the 1970s. I still remember the scene when my father brought a bike home. The whole family was very excited and touched the bike repeatedly that day. My mom even used some colored paper to package the wheels to protect it from dust. The bike was called the Long March Bike. At that time, a family with a bike, a branded bike in particular, was a source of great pride," the man said and smiled.

"In the 1970s, bicycles, watches and sewing machines were called the 'San Da Jian', which literally means the three popular must-have items for marriage. Nowadays, they should be a car, house and money. In a span of just over 40 years, China has undergone tremendous changes," said the senior.