The young volunteers passing on heroic stories in Korean War

This photo taken with a mobile phone shows a girl telling stories of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) to tourists in Ji'an City, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 25, 2023. (Xinhua)

CHANGCHUN, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The nine-year-old girl decided not to wash her right hand the evening after, like in a dream, the grandson of a war hero in her story appeared and shook hands with her in gratitude.

"He made me feel that what I am doing is meaningful," said Zhang Qianyuan, a student in the Ji'an City of northeast China's Jilin Province who is among the junior volunteer guides telling stories of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) to tourists.

Ji'an, which overlooks the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) across the Yalu River, witnessed the departure of about 420,000 soldiers in the Chinese People's Volunteer Army 73 years ago. Proud of her hometown, the third-grader works as a guide at the Yalu River border bridge scenic area. It was through this bridge that the first Chinese troops left for the battlefield in October 1950.

"It was also through this bridge that supplies were sent to the frontline," she said. At the end of her introduction, Zhang would always sing the song of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army.

Since 2003, there have been more than 1,500 such student volunteers as Zhang, who, after receiving training from professionals, went to various historical sites to tell visitors the heroic stories of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army.

"Our aim is to encourage our children to get involved in social activities while learning about the history so as to foster their love for their hometown and the motherland," said Liu Jinzhu, a Communist Youth League official with Ji'an City.

Selection of the junior volunteers starts in April each year in primary and middle schools. "There were usually lots of applicants, and this year, we selected 150 students," she told Xinhua. "We have professional trainers teaching them pronunciation, gesture, facial expression, and how to communicate with visitors, while local tour guides teach them the history that they are supposed to tell others."

Teaching is one thing, while understanding is another.

Zhang Qianyuan was selected three years ago. "At first, she was merely reciting what she was taught," said her mother Sun Lianhua, who herself is a tour guide.

To help her understand the war better, her mom would show her some films and documentaries. "Now she could not only understand that history but also add some of the details and stories from the films into her own introduction," Sun said.

Occasionally, Zhang could meet with some special visitors.

One of them was the grandson of hero Qu Hongyi, who led a team of stretchers to capture more than 20 enemies. "He shook hands with me and thanked me for passing on the stories," the girl recalled.

She has also met an 88-year-old veteran soldier from the Chinese People's Volunteer Army, Nan Qixiang. Nan joined in the army at 12 when his task was blowing the bugle.

Showing Xinhua a calligraphy piece, Zhang said happily that it was a gift from Nan and the characters on it was Fen Dou, or striving.

She admitted that during school holidays, she also wished to have a rest or travel outside her hometown. But she would spend lots of time being a volunteer tour guide because the work is "rewarding."

The view was echoed by Lin Junyi, another primary school student who works as a volunteer guide. "I would like to tell more people that my hometown is a heroic city, which played an important role in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. I am proud of my hometown," he said.

Ding Xinyang was a tourist from central China's Hunan Province, which is more than 2,000 kilometers away from Ji'an. He filmed the introduction of a student tour guide and planned to share it on social media.

"I have been to many tourist attractions and I was touched here by these young volunteers," he said. "From their introduction, I know that the history was not forgotten, and the heroic stories some 70 years ago, as well as the spirit, are still being passed on."