Party history shared by Xi: Man's sacrifice saves comrades

A military supply chief sacrifices warm clothing and freezes to death to ensure his comrades stay warm to continue on the Long March in this vivid illustration. [File photo/Xinhua]

Military supply chief freezes to death

During the Long March, one Red Army unit trudged through ice and snow on the Jiajin Mountain in Southwest China. Suddenly, the troop slowed down, and many people gathered around in front. "Don't stop! Keep moving!" The commander of the troop shouted. Then a guard ran to him and said, "Someone froze to death".

An old soldier, leaning against the bare tree trunk, was sitting still like a statue. Wearing flimsy and worn-out clothes, he was covered with snow, and it was impossible to recognize his face. Between the index and middle fingers of his right hand was half a paper roll of dry smoke, the fire of which had long been extinguished by the snow.

When the commander called in the chief of military supplies to ask why he had not given the dead soldier cotton-padded clothes, he was told that the soldier was the chief of military supplies himself.

This is a story Xi mentioned at the opening of a workshop attended by high-level officials on Jan 5, 2018.

Xi said the freezing to death of the man in charge of supplies reflects a noble spirit, which though invisible, shows great strength in critical moments.