Picturesque landscape, numerous visitors, clean lanes…all compose a vivid scene of Shazhou Yao Nationality Village, in Rucheng County, Hunan Province.

Outside the exhibition hall of “Warmth of Half Quilt”, tourists are waiting in long queues only to find the answer of a historical question.

What kind of question has attracted more than 2.8 million people to seek for an answer? An online media interview group came to the old revolutionary base to find out the truth.

87 years ago, the Red Army passed through Shazhou Village in the long march. Three female soldiers lodged at Xu Jiexiu's home. During the day, they helped her carry water, chop firewood and take care of the child. At night, seeing only a piece of worn-out cotton wadding and ragged clothes in bed, they even gave their only quilt to Xu Jiexiu and her child, cut off half of the quilt and left it for Xu before leaving.

In more than half a century after seeing off the three soldiers, Xu Jiexiu have always been looking forward to their return. “What is a Communist Party member like? He is the man who will cut half of the quilt for the people even if he has only one,” said the old lady.

Xu has told four generations this story, and the question is now engraved on the base of "Half-quilt" sculpture in the village.

During the Long March, the three female red army soldiers were still worried about the people even in the face of hunger and danger. They sent the "half quilt" to Xu Jiexiu's family, showing care for them, which made the people understand the Red Army led by the CPC.

On the long new march of our generation, how will the party members respond to the historical question of "what is the Communist Party" raised 87 years ago?

The interview team went into Xu Jiexiu's home, hoping to find the answer from the changes of the family’s life.

Xu Jiexiu's ancestral house is one of the main attractions in Shazhou Scenic Area. The descendants have already moved to houses built by the village road. Zhu Xiaohong, one of them, now has a local restaurant in his own house by virtue of the rising popularity of the scenic area.

Zhu Xiaohong, the grandson of Xu Jiexiu, once lived in a poor family. In 2014, the annual income of the whole family was less than 10,000 yuan. In 2017, Zhu participated in a chef skills training session organized by the local government. On October 1, he opened the first local restaurant in Shazhou.

“At first there were not many guests, so my wife and I were not so busy. But things changed two years ago, and our restaurant is getting increasingly popular. For example, nearly 400 people ordered meals yesterday, and I have to employ more people to help me," said Zhu Xiaohong. With a regular cook and 4 to 7 waiters, the restaurant once run by a couple has now turned into a "catering giant" in the village.

In 2014, the whole family earned less than 10,000 yuan despite the toil. While in 2020, they earned more than 150,000 yuan. “The income is expected to double this year,” Zhu said.

Like Zhu’s family, people living a happy life can be seen everywhere in Shazhou Village.

“At that time, the red army brought half a quilt to my family; nowadays, the Communist Party has brought us happy life.” In Zhu’s heart, the Communist Party is the one who brings better life to the village.

In the view of Zhu Xiangqun, the great grandson of Xu Jiexiu, people’s well-being is the right answer to the historical question.

Zhu Xiangqun, who has been engaged in grassroots service for many years, knows that urgent matters may come at any time. Now is the busy season of fruit farming. The fruit base area in Shazhou Village is more than 1,200 mu, and 142 farmers have their own orchards. The farmers that are busy in the orchards during the day only have time at night, which also lengthens the working hours of Zhu Xiangqun and his colleagues.

Besides, the village service center, which handles more than 40 "nearby" matters, including social insurance, poverty alleviation, disaster verification, party affairs, has realized the full coverage of grassroots public services, handling more than 105 civil affairs.

The people are the foundation of a country. Standing at the historical juncture of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the question dating back to 87 years ago has found its answer in Shazhou, which is “always put people first”.