The New Long March

The stunning array of photographs in China: An Intimate Look at the Past andPresent gloriously captures the country today by revisiting the legendary military route the Long March. With a rich palette of vibrant and lush compositional photos, this touching and breathtaking 396-page tome documents the human endurance, tenacity, and fortitude that unified the Chinese people seventy-five years ago. This epic military journey remains an inspiration for modern China, and a testament to their enduring spirit.

The “Long March” refers to the path taken by the Red Army of the Chinese Communist Party, a precursor to the People's Liberation Army, to retreat from the domineering Kuomintang (KMT or Chinese Nationalist Party) army. This iconic troop withdrawal across the harsh wilds of China in 1934 was transformed into a galvanizing journey, setting the stage for the creation of the People’s Republic of China. The Long March marked the rise of Mao Zedong. Mao’s leadership during this military evacuation stirred the spirit of the Chinese Communist Party’s Red Army and gained him their support. In 2011, an international team of photographers was dispatched along that same iconic route, from Jiangxi in the southeast to Gansu and Shaanxi in the northwest. Their majestic work grants you an unprecedented glimpse into an event that shaped a nation. 

China features 320 electrifying and moving full-color photographs, revelatory illustrations, and maps for geographic contextualization. This grand coming-of-age saga brings to life the monumental transformations that China underwent, as villages became cities and dirt roads became superhighways, with the buzz of industry and commerce filling the air. Bearing witness to the changes have been the people of China, whose resilience, pride, determination, and perseverance are illuminated — the same spirit that turned the Long March from a disaster into a triumph.

An Augmented Reality feature transforms the book into an interactive experience with video footage, audio of traditional songs, and additional photographs. With contributions by a group of celebrated photographers, along with maps, timelines, and historical images and artwork, China provides an insightful and wholly original retelling of one of the most significant events in Chinese history. Informative and visually transcendent, this is a must-have for history and photo buffs.

China: An Intimate Look at the Past and Present

A Photographic Journey of the New Long March

Download The New Long March app for the iPad or iPhone to unlock more digital content when used with the book.   

China: Past and Present

On October 16, 1934, the Long March began as first Red Army units crossed the Yuba River.

Just over two years later, on October 22, 1936, the Second Front Army and Fourth Front Army joined up with First Front Army in Huining, officially bringing the Long March to an end.

In mid-2011 Harold Weldon and Li Dong set out with a new survey team retracing the full route of the Long March in preparation for the final photo shoot.

In total, the team took more than 20,000 photographs, representing an amazing portrait of the people, the towns and cities, and the landscapes they visited.

Our book, China: An Intimate Look at the Past and Present features breathtaking, insightful and beautiful images brought back by the photographers who revisited the original 6,000-mile route.