Zuoquan remembers war general's sacrifice with pride

As the 80th anniversary of the victory in the war and World Anti-Fascist War approached, Sha expressed a desire to write a letter across time to his grandfather, telling him about the prosperous New China, a realization of his dreams.

Shanxi, a major battlefield during the war, was home to the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army and several revolutionary bases. Zuo was the highest-ranking commander of the Eighth Route Army to be killed in action. In his honor, Liaoxian county was renamed Zuoquan county in September 1942, forever linking his name to the land he fought to protect.

Wu Xinyi, an 18-year-old who grew up in Zuoquan and recently graduated from high school, spoke of her pride in her hometown's name. "Every time I leave home and people hear 'Zuoquan', they are curious to learn more about our Red history and current developments," she said.

Zuoquan, known nationwide as an old revolutionary base, is now home to 269 revolutionary sites, earning it the title of an "open-air museum of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression", said Guo Fenghui, head of the county.

In the summer of 2024, the Zuoquan County Shiziling Breakout Battle Memorial Park opened, marking the site where Zuo fought and fell, with a memorial pavilion quietly recounting the poignant history.