Shenjialing village of Lanzhou, Gansu province, site of one of the fiercest battles in China's civil war, is drawing on revolutionary history as part of rural vitalization efforts.

The Shenjialing site of Lanzhou Battle in Northwest China's Gansu province [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The mountain village is known as a place of strategic importance. In 1949, a fierce battle between the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the Kuomintang forces took more than 3,000 lives.

The area has received a 20-million-yuan ($2.98 million) investment to build a resort centered around communist history, which will hopefully stimulate the local economy.

Each year during weekends or holidays, many Party branches carry out revolutionary history education and hold commemorative activities here. In 2021, Shenjialing received more than 50,000 tourists. 

Relief art of Lanzhou Battle depicts history that happened in Shenjialing village, Lanzhou, Gansu province [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Visitors can learn the history of the Lanzhou Battle from sculptures and simulated war conditions. Residents here are working toward rural revitalization.

Through improving water supply services and toilets, residents' living environment has been upgraded. Villagers are being encouraged to develop  homestay businesses, which create job opportunities and increase their income.

A newly built cave dwelling was transformed into a central kitchen, which helps reduce the costs of doing business and ensure food safety.

Shenjialing village takes on a new look. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The village has cultivated a leading enterprise and 15 cooperatives and added 33 hectares of planting area for Chinese medicinal herbs, 280 hectares for forestry and fruit and 240 greenhouses.

Farmers' lives have also been greatly improved due to red tourism, and the per capita net income exceeded 20,000 yuan this year.