To deepen young people's patriotic sentiments, carry forward fine traditional Chinese culture, and advance nationwide reading, the Shui Xi Guan Street Second Community of Miaoqian Subdistrict recently partnered with the Shanxi Reading Assistance Association to host a patriotic poetry recitation series titled "Carrying Forward the Red Torch, Reciting Splendid Sanjin."

The event marked October National Day month and commemorated the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army's Long March. More than 20 young people from the neighborhood participated enthusiastically, gaining insight into national righteousness through poetry, strengthening their convictions through legal education, and spreading the warmth of reading through public outreach.

Shared Poetry Reading Cultivates Patriotism

At the start of the event, Wang Jialei, a youth reading leader from the Shanxi Reading Assistance Association's Torch Volunteer Team, opened with the historical idiom "the torch is passed on though the firewood is consumed," explaining to the young participants the contemporary significance of nationwide reading — the power of reading, ideals, and volunteer spirit can be passed down from generation to generation without end.

Young volunteers paired up with middle school students to study articles from Shanxi Evening News' nationwide reading series and patriotic poetry analysis, encouraging students to put down electronic devices, embrace classics, and appreciate cultural roots between the lines.

Everyone recited together such patriotic poems as Yue Fei's "Man Jiang Hong: Expressing My Heart" and Chendan's "Welcoming the Martyrs of the Volunteer Army Home." They then stood collectively to recite "O Motherland, My Dear Motherland" and "China Under the Sun," with rich emotion and stirring resonance.

After the recitation, participants eagerly shared their reflections. One female student remarked, "I was struck by the majestic momentum of the poetry and feel we should cherish our current happy lives even more." A middle school student shared, "In Chendan's poetry, I felt an inner calm that benefited me greatly."

This precious shared reading time allowed young people to appreciate the spirit of their forebears and national righteousness through classic texts, drawing strength to forge ahead.

Legal Education Strengthens Convictions

As the echoes of poetry still lingered, a "walking ideological and political class" set off. "Patriotism is not just passion — it is concrete action in obeying the law and maintaining discipline." With this insight from the shared reading, university student volunteers mentored and accompanied middle school students into a constitutional education base for a study visit.

Under the guidance of docents, everyone carefully studied the development, core content, and significance of the Constitution, deeply understanding that it is the fundamental guarantee of a nation's lasting stability and the people's well-being. Students expressed their determination to internalize the belief of respecting the Constitution and being loyal to the motherland and to externalize it in action, becoming good young people of the new era who respect, study, abide by, and apply the law.

Public Outreach Spreads Love of Reading

Afterward, volunteers left the community and went along Yingze Street to conduct public promotion of nationwide reading. Divided into groups, they explained the significance of reading to passersby, shared moving stories behind patriotic poems, and called on citizens to appreciate classics and love reading.

Through practice, participants gained personal growth and won unanimous praise from residents with their sincerity and enthusiasm, spreading the positive energy of reading throughout the city's streets and alleys.

Educating through culture and promoting knowledge through action, this themed series integrated poetry reading, legal education, and reading outreach, comprehensively enhancing young people's overall qualities and sense of responsibility. Going forward, the Shui Xi Guan Street Second Community will continue relying on its new era civilization practice platform to regularly carry out nationwide reading and patriotic education activities, nurturing through culture and practice, letting the love of books permeate Yingze and passing patriotic spirit down through generations.