A Century of Love in the Sichuan-Tibet Army

The half-life journey of the protagonist, A Peng, is written in ink, with the wind and snow of Tibet as its paper. Century of Sichuan-Tibet Military Life unfolds a sweeping tale spanning 1985 to 2011. Its pages hold both the vast, desolate beauty of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the burning sincerity of military life. They also preserve the deep bonds between Han and Tibetan people, forged over decades, steeped in time and carrying a heartfelt longing.

In 1985, the warmth of life in Xingou, beneath Erlang Mountain, nurtured A Peng's ideals, and from then on his youth was bound to the snowbound plateau. He stood shoulder to shoulder with others along perilous mountain roads and braved blizzards on Dongda Mountain to reach Tibetan villages. Sleet on Lawu Mountain carried the delicate fragrance of caterpillar fungus; winds sweeping across Jueba Mountain passed the road-maintenance station, bearing a young woman's tender feelings; prayer flags on Barkhor Street fluttered as his deep love for Zhuoma was sealed in memory. A mother's silver dollar held her hopes for him, and a treasured wooden bowl concealed unspoken feelings. The warmth of the encampment, laughter shared by soldiers and civilians, and daring rescues all revealed the tenderness and sense of duty hidden beneath a soldier's steely exterior.

In 2011, carrying a lifetime of longing, A Peng returned to Sichuan and Tibet. Winter snow in Litang blanketed old dreams, the warmth of Lulang stone-pot chicken lingered on his tongue, and easy conversation in a Tibetan restaurant in Nyingchi brimmed with affection. He revisited old places to seek out longtime friends and pay respects to the dead. Standing beneath the red palace walls, he gazed toward the Potala Palace. In the sweetness of memories revisited, he reflected on a life spent in service, speaking of the mountains and rivers of Tibet, his military brothers, and the concerns for Tibetan friends etched into his very blood. His story captures decades of devotion to country and the warmth of the plateau.