A Red Army IOU That Will “Never Be Redeemed”
A Red Army IOU bears witness to the bond between the military and the people in Suxian District, and the Duan family has treasured this red memory for more than 90 years Enter Cailing Village to hear this Long March story and see how four generations have protected the Red Army imprint
At the home of Duan Yuanfa, a villager in Cailing Village, Liangtian Town, Suxian District, Chenzhou, Hunan, two written notes left by the Red Army are carefully preserved. One of them is a promissory note written in November 1934, recording how the Red Army borrowed grain from Dr. Duan Nianming and received donations.
When the Central Red Army passed through the area during the Long March that year, Duan Nianming took the initiative to offer his own grain and silver dollars to support the Red Army, and also treated and redressed the wounded and sick. Before leaving, the Red Army soldiers wrote the promissory note and another commemorative note, which the Duan family has kept safe for more than 90 years.
Duan Yuanfa said that the family has always regarded this promissory note as evidence of the bond between the army and the people, and has never thought of redeeming it. Today, these written notes have been recognized by the relevant departments as having certain historical and research value, and four generations of the Duan family have continued to protect and sweep the graves of the Red Army martyrs, carrying on this red memory.