A Heroic Elegy on the Rooftop of the World: Remembering the Vanguard Company at the Xianqianlian Memorial Hall

A Monument to Heroism on the Plateau

Located on a mountain slope east of the county seat of Gaize (Gerze) in the Ali Prefecture of Tibet, the Xianqianlian Memorial Hall (Memorial Hall of the Into-Tibet Vanguard Company) stands as a solemn testament to a legendary chapter in modern Chinese history. Situated at an altitude of approximately 4,500 meters, this memorial is not just a building but a spiritual landmark set against the vast, desolate beauty of the Changtang Plateau. It commemorates the heroic journey of the "Into-Tibet Vanguard Company", a unit of the People's Liberation Army that marched into the formidable Ali region in the early 1950s. Unlike the bustling monasteries or natural wonders found elsewhere in Tibet, this site offers a profound silence, filled with the weight of history and the spirit of sacrifice,.

The Legend of the 136 Heroes

The history behind the memorial dates back to 1950, when the call to liberate Tibet was sounded. A vanguard company consisting of 136 soldiers from 7 different ethnic groups, including Han, Mongolian, Hui, and Tibetan, was formed in Hotan, Xinjiang. Their mission was to march south across the Kunlun Mountains and into the Ali region of Tibet. This journey was an unprecedented challenge against the limits of human endurance. They traversed the uninhabited Hoh Xil (Kekexili) no-man's-land, facing an average altitude of over 5,000 meters, severe cold, altitude sickness, and a critical shortage of supplies. Without maps or sufficient food, they battled snowstorms and starvation for months. By the time they reached their destination in Gaize on August 3, 1951, and successfully planted the red flag in Ali, 63 soldiers had sacrificed their lives due to the harsh conditions. Their story is known as a tragic yet magnificent epic of the "Old Tibetan Spirit",.

Inside the Memorial Hall

The memorial complex includes an exhibition hall, a monument, and a cemetery. The exhibition hall displays a vast collection of historical relics, photographs, and documents that vividly reconstruct the arduous march of the Vanguard Company. Visitors can see the tattered uniforms, simple tools, and diaries left behind by the soldiers, which silently narrate the extreme hardships they endured.

• 1.The Name List Wall: One of the most moving features is the wall engraved with the names of the 136 soldiers. Standing before it, visitors are reminded that these were young lives who dedicated themselves to a cause on this high plateau.
• 2.Restored Scenes: The museum uses dioramas and sculptures to recreate scenes of the soldiers battling the elements, camping in the snow, and interacting with the local population, bringing the history to life.

The Martyrs' Cemetery

Adjacent to the hall lies the cemetery where the martyrs rest. Among the graves is that of Kong Fanyu, a key figure associated with the unit's legacy in the region. The cemetery is a place of quiet reflection, surrounded by the barren, wind-swept hills of Ali. It serves as a permanent resting place for those who "regarded the sky as their blanket and the snow as their bed." For travelers journeying through the Northern Tibet line, a stop here is not merely for sightseeing but for paying respects to the resilience of the human spirit in one of the earth's most unforgiving environments,.