Chinese tourists reenact Red Army battle at Loushan Pass in red tourism push

More than 1,000 tourists visited Loushan Pass in southwestern China’s Guizhou province over the weekend to take part in a reenactment of a 1935 battle between communist and nationalist forces.

AFP reported that participants wore Red Army-style uniforms, waved prop weapons and moved through staged positions as pyrotechnics lit up the hillside. Children as young as five also joined the performance, carrying toy swords and raising red flags.

The reenactment is part of China’s “red tourism” industry, which brings visitors to places linked to the country’s communist history. The Loushan Pass battle took place during the Long March, when Mao Zedong’s communist forces broke through Chiang Kai-shek’s nationalist troops.

Tourist Jiang Jun told AFP the event felt “awe-inspiring” and made him think about what those involved in the battle experienced. Another participant, identified as Xu, said it was important to remember such sites.