Ouyang Ziyi, Shenzhen Middle School

On this year’s Tomb Sweeping Day, as the world marked the 80th anniversary of the WWII victory, I traveled to Tengchong, Yunnan Province, to honor my ancestors and pay tribute to the war heroes.

I joined a long procession at the foot of the mountain. Dressed in black, each of us held white and yellow chrysanthemums. At the front, white banners bearing black patterns and characters were softened by a fine drizzle, while bright wreaths swayed gently in the wind.

Along the path, mounds of graves dotted the landscape, tombstones standing solemnly amid the rain. The wild grass in front of the graves was damp with raindrops, each bead shimmering like a drop of tear.

When the dark gray monument of the Chinese Expeditionary Force (CEF) came into view, I looked up and gazed at it. The weathered patterns etched into the stone seemed to gaze back at me.

I climbed a short flight of steps, bowed deeply three times before the grand monument, and solemnly spoke my vows. With reverence and steadfast resolve, I vowed to carry on their legacy.

I chose to come to Tengchong for three reasons.

First, I wished to follow in the footsteps of my ancestor Ouyang Yuan. In 1943, then a student at the National Southwest Associated University, Ouyang joined the CEF and wrote: “I fear not death. I face it as if returning home.” He was one of over 1,000 from the university who, in the face of national peril, stepped forward, risked their lives, and took up arms against the Japanese invaders.

Moreover, as someone from Hunan, I visited Tengchong as a tribute to the fallen heroes from my native province. In those days, countless young men from Hunan left their hometowns to fight battles in Yunnan, enduring hardships and fighting valiantly.

Lack of arms and harsh conditions didn’t dim the spark in their eyes. Although fear stirred in their hearts amid the roar of artillery, they charged forward, bearing in mind that behind them stood millions of Chinese people.

It was these Hunanese youths, fighting side by side with passionate young people from across the country, who built a wall of flesh and blood. Their sacrifice became a lasting legacy in the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan.

But above all, I came to Tengchong because I am Chinese. In the martyrs’ cemetery, rows of tombstones stand quietly, telling stories of the past.

Over 80 years ago, countless heroes fought fiercely against the invaders in Yunnan, proving with their lives that the strong will of the Chinese people can never be defeated.

History is a great teacher, one that pronounces a sober warning.

Although we grow up in peaceful times, we must remember history, live up to our responsibilities, and contribute to the security and prosperity of our motherland.

Standing beneath the towering monument, I couldn’t help but reminisce about those brilliant young people who gave everything for their homeland.

All I could do was offer a bouquet of white chrysanthemums, hoping the flowers might console their noble souls — and that sunshine would always shine upon the mountains and rivers they protected with their lives.