Since reopening, the park has welcomed 87 million visits, including 500,000 to 600,000 students annually for patriotic education programs.

Beyond tourism, Taierzhuang's spirit of resilience fuels modern development.

Canglangmiao village of Taierzhuang, now a district of Zaozhuang, was once reduced to scorched earth by the war. Now, new roads, tidy houses, and ecological riverside walkways shape a thriving community.

"Before, our roads were muddy, jobs were scarce, and young people left," says Wang Yanjun, village secretary of the Communist Party of China.

The village relied solely on rice cultivation, with its meager earnings failing to retain the younger generation. It was designated a poverty-stricken village of Zaozhuang.

But in recent years, the village has transformed into a provincial-level scenic area and a model of rural vitalization by developing greenhouses, agritourism and homestays.

"Taierzhuang stands not just as a memorial to past sacrifices but as a beacon of perseverance and renewal," says Wang.

Zhang Xiaoping contributed to this story.