Grassroots historian traces CPC's journey from poverty to prosperity

Global Times has launched a special series titled "105 Years of Uplift" to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The initial article examines the nation's profound transformation, moving from poverty and war towards a state of moderate prosperity.

The series highlights the work of Zhang Yuhan, a historian at the Memorial Hall of the First National Congress of the CPC in Shanghai. Through her research, Zhang explores the choices and sacrifices made by the Party's early pioneers, which enabled the country's development from challenging origins. She emphasizes the generational commitment of CPC members towards improving the nation's destiny.

Zhang Yuhan shared with Global Times that her work has deepened her understanding of the Party's historical decisions. She points to figures like Wang Jinmei and Chen Tanqiu, early members who abandoned personal stability and security to focus on social change and mobilizing workers' movements during difficult times.

According to Zhang Yuhan, these early members made "extraordinarily rare" choices for their era. They bore the responsibility for a nation in peril, accepting personal sacrifice and living dangerous lives. The Party has since grown from its initial 50 members to over 100 million, guiding China's rise as a major global power.