Chasing the flames of the past and remembering the unyielding will: Day 146 of the China Road Trip

August 7, 2023, Day 146 of the China Road Trip, Baoqing, Heilongjiang - Hutou Town - Hulin, Heilongjiang, about 228 km. Although some sections of the road may be narrow or winding, the overall road conditions are good. The wheels roll through the Great Northern Wilderness, and the scenery changes constantly. Every frame along the way is poetic and picturesque, captivating. Every step is worth slowing down to feel the vastness and depth of the northern land. The most beautiful scenery is always in the moment you roll down the window. Dongfanghong Forest Farm is located in the southeast of Baoqing County, 30 km from the county seat, on the northern slope of the Wanda Mountains. The dense forest shines like emeralds, and every leaf exudes the vitality of life and the charm of nature. The sunlight filters through the treetops, casting dappled shadows on the winding paths, adding a touch of mystery and tranquility to this fairyland. The forest farm is not only a natural masterpiece but also a historical witness to the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. The older generation of forestry workers wrote countless touching stories on this land with their sweat and wisdom. Their hard work has left a valuable cultural heritage and spiritual wealth for today's Dongfanghong Forest Farm. As the end of World War II, Hutou Fortress is a historical site not to be missed on this journey. It witnessed the fierce battles between the Soviet Red Army and the Japanese invaders and carried the blood and sacrifice of countless brave soldiers. Hutou Town is not big, and you can see Hutou Fortress as soon as you enter. Next to the stone wall of the "Site of the Japanese Army's Hutou Fortress" is a white museum, with Hutou Fortress buried underneath and spreading to the surrounding hills. I have long known that the Japanese Kwantung Army built a huge and strong military fortress along the Ussuri River to attack the Soviet Union, and the famous Hutou Fortress and Dongning Fortress were important battlefields for the Soviet army against Japan, but this is the first time I heard that this place became the end of World War II. Entering the museum, the exhibition hall is large, and it introduces the history and outcome of the Japanese army's construction of the fortress in several stages. Inside the exhibition hall, you can enter the site of Hutou Fortress. Walking down the damp stone steps into the deep underground passage, you immediately feel the cold and the smell of mold. The fortifications are all made of reinforced concrete, with arched tops. The temperature here is only about 10 degrees Celsius all year round. Following the narrow alley, you can see the old sites of the command post, power station, grain and vegetable warehouse, rest room, general's room, bathroom, water reservoir, etc., one after another, and the war conditions were indeed very difficult. Walking out of the underground fortifications, you have reached the depths of the distant mountains and forests. Not far away is the Liberation Monument built by the Soviet Red Army to commemorate the fallen soldiers, standing white against the blue sky. Visiting Hutou Fortress not only allows you to feel the weight of history but also inspires your patriotism. The Great Northern Wilderness, in a broad sense, refers to the vast uncultivated wilderness in the Sanjiang Plain, Songnen Plain, and Wanda Mountains in northern Heilongjiang Province, China, which was historically named for its cold climate, dense swamps, and sparse population. Today, "Great Northern Wilderness" has become synonymous with modern agriculture in China, representing a legendary epic from wilderness to granary. The 857 Farm is mostly lake and alluvial plains, with a few rolling hills. The farm has vast land and fertile soil, mainly growing wheat, soybeans, and rice. The rice field paintings of the 857 Farm are a perfect blend of nature and modern creativity. On the vast rice fields, with rice as the pen and fields as the paper, delicate and vivid patterns are carefully outlined, making them colorful and dazzling. The rice field paintings are not only grand in scale and magnificent in momentum but also show exquisite craftsmanship in detail. Every stroke is precise and accurate. When the breeze blows over the rice fields, the rice ears sway gently, and the rice field paintings ripple with layers of green waves, as if the whole painting comes to life, full of vitality and vigor. The sunlight shines on it, and the golden light and the green rice fields complement each other, adding a touch of fantasy and romance. The rice field paintings of the 857 Farm are not only a unique landscape but also a cultural heritage and innovation. Hulin is a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Jixi, Heilongjiang Province, named after the Qihulin River in its territory. Located in the eastern part of Heilongjiang Province, at the southern foot of the Wanda Mountains, it is separated from the Russian Federation by the Ussuri River. It has obvious geographical advantages, convenient transportation, a border port, and the largest permanent boundary river bridge on the China-Russia border.