Text and Pictures | Lao Lixing
Still more than ten years ago, I accidentally saw an old photo: On a steep hillside among a mountain ridge, there is a road like a white dragon coiled mountain, winding and turning, giving people a thrilling feeling. What is even more amazing is that on this uninhabited rugged mountain road, trucks full of supplies are running on it, up and down, back and forth, like an ants moving.
I didn't know until 2006 that this photo was taken by a US military reporter John Albert in 1945. The road on the picture is the "Twenty-Four Turns" that was once famous in the world.
After this, I had a strong desire to go to the "Twenty-Four Truces" to take a look. Especially after CCTV broadcast the TV series "Twenty-Four Truces" on Central Station, I finally couldn't hold back, so I hurriedly put on my clothes and do my homework. On June 21, 2016, after retirement, I came to Qinglong County, in southwest Qianzhou Province alone, and saw this "hero road of anti-Japanese war" that had made great contributions to the War of Resistance and was hidden among the mountains for nearly 60 years.
[TV series "Twenty-Four Knots" filming location]
In order to make this trip richer and give people more insights and gains, before leaving, I checked the relevant information and made some basic understanding of the past and present life of the "Twenty-Four Knots" that I went there, and slowly it became rich and vivid in my mind. Unexpectedly, it also had an extremely legendary experience: during World War II , the "Twenty-Four Turns" was not only the main transportation artery of the Myanmar-Indian War Theater, but also carried a historical story of friendship, goodwill and common war of resistance.
According to the Qinglong County Chronicle, the "Twenty-Four Daoguai" is located in the south of Qinglong County. This section of the road was called Yaguan in ancient times, and the locals also called it Banguan. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, this place was a winding ancient post road, with a "Yongquan Temple" built at the entrance, and a tea pavilion outside the temple was specially designed for passers-by to take a break. This unique highway with multiple S-shaped shapes was built in 1935 and completed the following year. It is 4 kilometers long and has an effective road width of about 6 meters. The highway winds on the southwest slope of Qinglong Mountain at an altitude of 1,799 meters. The straight line distance from the first turn at the foot of the mountain to the twenty-fourth turn at the top of the mountain is about 350 meters, the vertical height is about 250 meters, and the slope inclination is about 60 degrees. It was originally an extremely ordinary local highway, and it was one of the sections of the Yunnan-Guizhou Highway, and it was unknown. It was just because of a special experience during the War of Resistance Against Japan and became famous all over the world.
After the outbreak of the Pacific War in in 1942, the international community led by the United States provided large-scale military assistance to China. After a large amount of aid to China passes through the Yunnan-Burma Highway to reach Kunming, it must pass through the "twenty-four turns" Yunnan-Guizhou Line before it can be delivered to the front line and Chongqing. This makes the "Twenty-Four Truces" located at the throat of Yunnan and Guizhou invisibly become the only land transportation line in the rear of China's anti-Japanese war and a major channel for international aid materials. Because it is steep and steep, narrow and curved, transportation is very difficult. In order to ensure its unobstructedness, in 1943, the National Government decided to renovate the Yunnan-Guizhou Highway. With the "Twenty-Four Turns" project as the focus, the US Allied forces sent engineer battalions to design and organize construction. These American soldiers, together with local migrant workers, broaden the road surface, strengthen the roadbed, build retaining walls and other facilities, greatly improving the road conditions and improving traffic capacity, thus ensuring that a large number of important resources are continuously sent to the frontline of the War of Resistance Against Japan.
According to statistics, there are about 50,000 tons of anti-Japanese war materials transported through the "Twenty-Four Truces", which greatly enhanced China's anti-Japanese combat power and made great contributions to the victory of the Anti-Japanese War. Therefore, the "Twenty-Four Truces" are known as the "lifeline of the War of Resistance" and are also known as the "bend of history". In 2006, it was announced as national key cultural relics protection unit by the State Council.On August 14, 2015, the State Council announced the first batch of 80 national-level anti-Japanese war memorial facilities, among which the "Twenty-Four Turns" anti-Japanese war roads were ranked.
【The US military engineer battalion where the "Twenty-Four Truces" was built that year. Beautiful houses have been built now]
【Retaining wall. The Relics of Anti-Japanese War Left back then]
With a feeling of admiration for this road, I took a train from Xi'an, arrived in Guiyang, and then transferred to Qinglong's bus. After a long journey of more than 20 hours a day and a night, I finally arrived at the strange and familiar Qinglong County at around 9 o'clock the next night.
This small mountain county, which has gradually been known to the outside world because of the "Twenty-Four Betrays", is located in the southwest of Guizhou Province and is located in the middle section of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau . It is 160 kilometers away from Guiyang City, 280 kilometers away from Kunming City, Yunnan, and 420 kilometers away from Chongqing, a Chinese accompaniment capital during the War of Resistance against Japan and the Burma Road. It is an important node on the Yunnan-Burma Highway. Qinglong County is not big, with only 27,000 people currently. According to historical records, in order to build the "Twenty-Four Truces" and support the War of Resistance, almost all the labor force that could be dispatched in Qinglong County was dispatched, and all the animals that could be transported were dispatched. In the past, Qinglong County, which had less than 50,000 people, had more than 3,800 people recruited to the front line. On average, one out of every six young and middle-aged people devoted themselves to the War of Resistance and defended their country.
In addition, Qinglong also provided a large amount of military supplies to many anti-Japanese troops resting here. It is such a legendary and heroic Qinglong County, but it is "hidden in the deep boudoir and unrecognized by people." It was not until 2002 that after years of in-depth research and hard search by the expert on World War II history, Qinglong County, hidden among the mountains and ridges, entered the world's vision, which made the heroic story of the War of Resistance against Japan that happened in this small county in the southwestern border gradually understood by the outside world. At the same time, it also made it clear that the misunderstanding that the "Twenty-Four Truces" was always believed to be in Yunnan and abroad.
[The current "Twenty-Four Behinds" can still be passed normally]
Since I entered Qinglong County, I have always been excited. We are full of expectations for the "Twenty-Four Truces" that will be seen soon. After finding out about its specific location, I hurriedly used breakfast and couldn't wait to visit this mysterious highway with 24 sharp turns.
【Twenty-four night view】
After walking for a kilometer, I took a farm vehicle and went straight to the first turn of the "Twenty-four turn" from another newly built highway. I saw a cement wall of "HTM3 Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit of the State Council ", with the words "Twenty-Four Turns---Anti-Japanese War Highway" engraved on it. Looking up from here, the "Twenty-Four Turns" are like a giant dragon rolling on the mountain, towering into the clouds. In order to fully experience the feelings this heroic road brings, I decided to go from the first to the twenty-fourth, and shoot and record each of the turns, making it my permanent memory.
I walked and walked slowly. Slowly scanning the sand, stone, grass and trees along the road, carefully looking at the relics of the Anti-Japanese War remaining on both sides of the road. At the same time, thousands of heavy-loaded trucks transporting Anti-Japanese War materials were constantly emerging in front of us. I was really amazed and moved all the way, which made people think a lot and excited. I walked to the top of the mountain without realizing it, and it took less than two hours. Standing here and looking down, the "Twenty-Four Behinds" is like swimming down the mountain, wanting to drink the clear spring in the valley. This tortuous 4 kilometers of journey allowed me to experience another spiritual baptism.
After having zero-distance contact with the "Twenty-Four Betrays" and personally felt its majestic and steepness, I took the scenic spot sightseeing bus and walked around for 6 kilometers to the old photo shooting point of the "Twenty-Four Betrays" that is well-known all over the world - the current observation deck, looking at the "Twenty-Four Betrays" surrounded by clouds and mist, and enjoying its amazing beauty as a whole.Compared with the old photo from more than 70 years ago, the "Twenty-Four Truces" in front of me completely passes through the green mountains and green trees, appearing and disappearing from time to time, graceful and graceful. And he is as quiet as a virgin, with a peaceful expression. Although it lacks the vicissitudes and strength of the past, it still has its mighty spirit and its tiger spirit remains, and it also has more beauty and charm.
I think that as the "Twenty-Four Turns" of the landmark section of the "Stilwell Highway", after completing its important historical mission and going through more than 70 years of ups and downs, it is like a veteran who has fought bloody battles for the country and nation and made outstanding contributions. He should also return home, live in peace in his old age, and accept people's admiration and worship. At the same time, it also warns future generations with its extraordinary life experience: Don’t forget the national humiliation, keep your mission in mind, work hard to be strong, and never slacken. This may be the greatest contribution that the "Twenty-Four Truces" can make today and the most precious spiritual wealth left to us.
[The US military reporter took photos of the "Twenty-Four Breaks" from this perspective]
On the way back to Xi'an from Qinglong, there was a question that lingered in my mind for a long time, that is: China, which was poor and weak back then, was facing a large-scale invasion of Japanese robbers who were armed to the teeth and extremely crazy, if there was no strong support and large-scale assistance from the international community led by the United States, how long can we last? Can we achieve the final victory in the War of Resistance? After thinking about it, I don’t know. With the wisdom and resilience that the Chinese nation has, perhaps it can. But the War of Resistance Against Japan will definitely last longer, and the price the Chinese nation will pay will be greater. Therefore, in this sense, the "Twenty-Four Truces" are still witnesses of the people of China and the United States who have joined hands and jointly fought against Japan.
According to data, the United States alone has given China a total of more than 1.5 billion US dollars in various aid from 1942 to 1945. In particular, the opening of " Hump Route " broke the Japanese army's siege against China, transported the materials urgently needed for combat against Japan, set up a lifeline of air war, and made an indelible contribution to defeating Japanese militarism. The "Camel Route" also caused heavy losses to the US Air Force: 563 planes crashed and 1,579 pilots and crew members died or disappeared. All of this, together with the construction of , China-Myanmar Highway , marked by the "Twenty-Four Turns", is undoubtedly a true portrayal of the history of the people of China and the United States jointly fighting against the Japanese invaders. It has been recorded in history as a witness to the friendship between the peoples of China and the United States, and will surely become an unforgettable memory that remains in the hearts of the Chinese people.
1945, the US military accompanied military reporter John Albert to take the "Twenty-Four Bends"
