A gentle gust of wind awakens the body that has been sleeping for a thousand years; a gentle gust of wind blows away the mysterious veil of history. Standing on the shoulders of time, I talk to history.
However, Zhang Qian chiseled the air, and the subsequent envoys were all called Bowanghou, believing that they were hostage to foreign countries, and foreign countries believed in it -- Sima Qian's "Records of History".
Zhang Qian twice sent envoys to the Western Regions to open up the Silk Road, and he was praised as "the first Chinese who opened his eyes to see the world", and for thousands of years, princes, nobles, beggars and jailers have left their footprints on this 7,000-kilometer long road, and it has also witnessed the rise and fall of feudal dynasties.
The southern route of the Silk Road, starting from the Chengdu Plain to the south, passing through Sichuan, Yunnan, Myanmar, and eventually reaching India, and further extending to South Asia, Central Asia, West Asia and Europe, this communication line played an important role in promoting the intersection of Chinese and Indian civilizations.
It can not only lead to foreign countries, but also arouse the prying eyes of western powers, during the Qing Dynasty, after the British invaded India, they were very eager to occupy this traffic artery, occupy this place, can spy on the inland of southern Xinjiang, Zuo Zongtang also realized the seriousness of this situation.
In 1877, Zuo Zongtang sent more than 100 Qing army death squads, leading camels, horses, and grain and grass, to the frontier to build a Setula checkpoint, which is 15 kilometers away from the town of Setula and 3800 meters above sea level.
However, this checkpoint was finally established, the Qing Dynasty would send people to send grain up the mountain every year, change the defense once a year, during the Republic of China, Setula set up a governance bureau, set up a side card team, the number of checkpoints increased to 100 people, although during the Republic of China, it has begun to use electricity.
But the Setura checkpoint was too far from the county seat to pull the wires, and the soldiers stationed at the post, in order to survive the coldest winter, they would collect cow dung in the spring, dry it, store it, and in the winter they would use cow dung for warmth.
They also eat very simple, because fresh vegetables, meat and other things can not be stored for a long time, cornmeal is the most stored, cornmeal is also the best food they eat, to change the guard 3 months before, the sentry will bring enough food, along the set up side card began to patrol, from south to north, it takes at least three months.
Even in the War of Resistance Against Japan, these soldiers never left their posts, because the rear was equally important, after 14 years of fighting, Japan surrendered unconditionally, and in 1946, a squad of Nationalist troops entered the Setula checkpoint and continued to hold on to the task, they were like their predecessors, relying on cow dung for warmth and eating cornmeal.
In the first year of the change of defense, six or seven people began to patrol, but they did not receive a change of defense team at the foot of the mountain, at that time the traffic conditions were limited, there was no telephone around, they could only return to the Setula checkpoint, although they did not know what was happening in the outside world, but their task was to garrison the border pass, and they could not leave their posts without orders.
In March 1950, the 15th Regiment of the Fifth Division of the People's Liberation Army entered the Setula post, and when they arrived at the checkpoint, the Nationalist troops of that squad were still there, and the soldiers of the Nationalist Army saw the PLA and cried excitedly, saying: Finally someone has come to change the defense.
After a few words of greeting, he looked at their military uniforms again and asked very doubtfully, "How come I changed my clothes again?" When the People's Liberation Army heard this sentence, they were all sad, although they did not know what was happening in the outside world, but their spirit was really admirable.
The Nationalist troops of this squad were also sent down the mountain, and the People's Liberation Army looked at the vast snowy mountains and made the same vow: to defend this land for the motherland.