In the past four decades the Chinese army has been better
equipped, but the tradition virtues of frugality, discipline and
readiness to serve the people remain unchanged among the
troops.
"Guards Under Neon Light" was a household name of Chinese movie
more than 40 years ago depicting a company of soldiers who
patrolled on a dazzling road of Shanghai but resisted various lures
of the booming city and remained frugal, well-disciplined and ready
to serve people.
The film grew out of the actual "eighth company on the Nanjing
Road" which was awarded by the Ministry of National Defence in 1963
for its frugality, diligence in military training and enthusiasm in
serving the people.
"From then on, we have been screening the film 'Guards Under
Neon Light' to new recruits, asking them to carry on the company's
traditional virtues," said Zhang Daoguang, the current commander of
the company.
Soldiers must spend eight to nine hours every day in military
training programs, including shooting and physical exercises. "No
matter how abominable the weather is, how tired the soldiers are,
they should finish the planned military training without any
slackness," Zhang said.
More than 40 years ago, the company's soldiers were asked to
save every cent of money, every grain of rice, every kilowatt of
electricity, every inch of cloth and every tael of coal.
With economic and social development over the past decades, the
current Eighth Company soldiers, although a large proportion of
them come from well-off families, are required to save every cent
of money, every piece of paper, every grain of rice, every drop of
water and every kilowatt of electricity, said Zhang.
Instilling the company's traditions to soldiers is one of the
important component of the training, he said.
General Chen Maohui, an official with the political department
of the Nanjing Military Area, said, "Fighting and sacrificing lives
for the country and enduring all the hardships for the country are
the glorious traditions of the PLA."
In China, the fame of "hard-boned sixth company" keeps abreast
with the "eighth company on the Nanjing Road". The title of
"hard-boned sixth company" was conferred by the Ministry of
National Defense in 1964. The company was awarded the title again
in 1985 for its outstanding performance in a self-defence border
war.
Currently, the company's soldiers spend around ten hours a day
for military training and are often brought to wild islands for
survival training without food, water or lodging. Long-distance
swimming is also a compulsory training component.
Sergeant Zhou Lei said, "At the first day I came to the company,
our monitor took us to visit the company's 'honor hall'. After
learning the traditions and glorious stories of our early peers, I
felt its my duty to do as well as my them."
In the People's Liberation Army, there are numerous other
companies given such titles by the Ministry of National Defense for
their fortitude and bravery.
"Helping soldiers carry on glorious traditions is an important
method of the PLA to maintain its fighting capability," said Wang
Jingwen, who used to serve as the political instructor with the
"eighth company on the Nanjing Road".
(Xinhua News Agency July 23, 2007)