Local people and students listen to Xu's recollections, June 13, 2015. [Photo by Liu Mengyang/chinadaily.com.cn]

Appreciation from General Su Yu

Xu was sent to the anti-Japanese training school for further study after the Huangqiao battle. One day, he was notified that Su Yu, headmaster of the training school and commander of New Fourth Army First Division, wanted to talk to him. He would never forget his surprise and nervousness when being told.

"I was shocked and didn't know why Commander Su wanted me. My legs couldn't stop trembling on my way to his office." Xu recalled.

"Commander Su Yu asked me to sit down when he saw me, but I was so confused and kept standing. Sensing my uneasiness, he raised a question: ‘Are you comfortable when you get seated after one day's walking?' I said yes. Then he kept on asking: 'Are you comfortable when you stand up and walk after one day's sitting?' I also replied yes and got what he meant. " Xu said. "He used the two questions as metaphor to exemplify the relationship between hardships and happiness."

Getting Su's point, Xu became relaxed and sat down. The commander shared his experiences during the Long March and encouraged Xu to seek happiness through hardship.

Being asked whether he was afraid of hardship, Xu said he was born poor and life in the army was much better than home. Su Yu gave credit to Xu's behavior in the battlefield and predicted that Xu would make great achievements one day. Recognition from the founding general made Xu's eyes fill with tears and ignited his passion for learning and fighting.

Related: Hero veterans honor comrades 70 years on