Dangling

The natural barrier crossed by the Red Army offers boundless scenery: Danba, Dangling Snow Mountain. During the Long March, the Red Army crossed over 20 snow-capped mountains, each with an altitude of 3,000-4,000 meters. Among them, Dangling, with its main peak at 5,470 meters, stands as one of the highest and most challenging, marking a point of significant sacrifice for the Red Army. Dangling is situated approximately 60 km northwest of Danba County, in the southwest of Bian'er Township's Dangling Village. Serving as the boundary between Danba and Daofu counties, it is revered as a sacred mountain by locals, with the saying, "Climbing Dangling Mountain is like entering the gates of hell." In February 1936, when the Fourth Red Army crossed the snow-capped mountains, it was the coldest time on the Tibetan Plateau, with temperatures often plummeting to -30 to -40 degrees Celsius. The extreme cold presented immense difficulties and resulted in heavy casualties for the Red Army soldiers, who mostly hailed from the south and lacked adequate cold-weather gear. The story of the "last party dues" unfolded here: The body of a Red Army soldier was discovered in the snow of Dangling, his arm raised high. His comrades pried open his clenched fist to find a party membership card and a silver dollar. The card read: "Liu Zhihai, official member of the Communist Party of China, joined in March 1933." Qujiaojiao is located on the road from Danba County to Daofu County via Dangling. By the roadside stands a group of sculptures depicting the Red Army's Long March—"Qujiaojiao • Long March Road." On February 28, 1936, Liu Bocheng and Li Xiannian led the advance troops of the Fourth Red Army's 30th Army across the Dangling Snow Mountain, advancing along routes like Qujiaojiao and entering Daofu. Subsequently, Zhu De, Xu Xiangqian, and others led the remaining troops across Dangling, establishing a Red regime in Daofu. Today, Dangling has become a hiking paradise, renowned for its stunning scenery, especially in autumn when it transforms into a fairytale world. Winter offers a prime opportunity to admire the snow-capped mountains and glaciers. However, winter journeys are more arduous, requiring full gear and demanding significant physical endurance as you navigate the snowy terrain. Imagine the hardships faced by the Red Army, traversing the towering snow-capped mountains in thin clothing, with limited supplies, and carrying numerous wounded—their struggles are truly unimaginable.