Among visitors to Jinggangshan, known as a "cradle" of the Chinese revolution, there were groups of people wearing identical dark outfits with red ties or pins.
They were not tourists, but trainees from various levels of Party schools, brought here for an "immersive" Party history education program.
In October 1927, Mao Zedong led a fledgling group of Chinese revolutionaries deep into the mountains around Jinggangshan in east China's Jiangxi Province, where they established the first rural revolutionary base of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
What happened in Jinggangshan during the revolution years is a crucial part of the Party's history, as well as distinctive elements on the training syllabus for Party officials.
One of the most prestigious Party schools in Jinggangshan is the China Executive Leadership Academy, Jinggangshan, which offers training to Party officials employed by the government, state-owned companies and the military, from entry-level recruits right up to senior officials.
It is one of three state-level executive leadership schools, among thousands of Party schools nationwide. For the past 16 years, more than 100,000 people have attended courses there.
Liu Yunlong, chief engineer of the No.1 company of the fifth bureau of China Railway, just attended a week-long program on ideals and beliefs at the academy in late April.
In the training program he attended, trainees visited the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Martyr Cemetery, Jinggangshan Revolutionary Museum and learned about the revolutionary history through lectures and a series of "on-site" courses at previous frontlines.
At 33, Liu was born into and lived through one of the most affluent and peaceful periods in China's history. As a member of the post-1980s generation, his youth would have been a far cry even from that of his parents, let alone the lives and struggles of the early revolutionaries.
The courses in Jinggangshan had a real and personal impact on Liu's understanding of the Party's history.
"Countless revolutionary ancestors carried out revolution under extremely difficult circumstances more than 90 years ago, perhaps some of them were at my age, or even younger," said Liu after the courses. "They fought on in spite of food, water and cloth shortages and the enemy's siege, because they had a firm belief in a final victory."
The session Liu took is just one of the thousands of programs offered by the academy, which is developing a series of new courses based on the revolution history.
"By studying history we could learn from our Party's glorious tradition and fine style of work, such as staying close contact with the mass, and always maintaining the true nature of our Party and always upholding the people-centered principle of our Party," said Ke Hua, vice president of the academy.
The academy is also paying special attention to strengthening young officials' political ability and other capabilities in terms of research and study, scientific decision-making, advancing in-depth reforms, emergency responses, engaging with the people, and implementing policies.
When trainees complete their programs, it is hoped that they will leave as better public servants and keep the revolutionary spirit wherever they go, according to the academy.
