Sige Teng Square

Sige Teng Square

Sige Teng Square was founded on May 1, 2002, and completed on August 20 of the same year. The entire project took 110 days to complete, with a total cost of 5.4 million yuan. "Sige Teng" means educated youth in Mongolian. Sige Teng Square is also known as the Educated Youth Square, covering a total area of 20,000 square meters. The square features a novel design and unique creativity, with profound cultural significance, and is a national patriotic education base for young people. The square is divided into two parts: one is the outdoor structures section, and the other is an 80-meter-long indoor Educated Youth Cultural Corridor.

The clear stream beneath the central monument stone in the square symbolizes how the years of the educated youth were but a brief moment in the long river of history. In the water are the footprints of the educated youth of that time, who swam against the current — tracing back to their roots, it expresses people’s remembrance. The inscription “Sige Teng Square” was personally written by Mr. Sun Hailin, who once worked in Ke’er-She Township of Xin Youqi and is now the Vice Mayor of Tianjin. The name “Sige Teng” carries deep cultural meaning and unique ethnic characteristics. “Si” (思) means “to remember” — this character expresses the deep longing of the grassland people for the educated youth who regarded the vast grasslands as their second home and dedicated their youth and passion to it. “Ge” (歌) means “to sing” — this character signifies the heroic and moving spirit of the educated youth who fearlessly endured hardships and devoted themselves to building the frontier, a spirit that is forever worthy of praise. “Teng” (腾) means “to soar” — this character symbolizes that under the inspiration of the educated youth spirit, and through the hard work of the grassland people, the beautiful Xinzuo Youqi grasslands will surely realize the bright vision of prospering the border areas and enriching the people.

In the center of the square stand five sculptures of varying sizes — the Huochengzi (fire tripod), originally a household utensil used by herders to cook food and boil tea. After artistic processing, it was cast in bronze and can be used to hold bonfires during mass cultural activities, symbolizing prosperity and upward momentum.

The naming intention behind “Sige Teng” is profoundly reflected in the square’s horizontal monument, flowing water, Huochengzi, and the white marble relief wall. The large stones laid on the square’s ground are all natural materials sourced locally in our banner, such as pebbles and agate stones, which also give the entire square an ancient and elegant appearance.

Between 1961 and 1978, there were more than 17.6 million educated youth nationwide, and among them, over 1,200 came from Tianjin, Beijing, Harbin, Hailar, Manzhouli, and our own banner to form the educated youth group in our region. At that time, this was already a very significant number for Xin Youqi, a remote banner county. As we all know, the educated youth were a new phenomenon after the founding of New China. Regardless of the historical context in which they emerged, the educated youth themselves responded positively to the call of the motherland and resolutely threw themselves into the movement to support and build the frontier. This spirit of not fearing hardship, forging ahead, and striving courageously is something that the next generation must inherit and carry forward. Based on this rationale, after nearly half a year of material collection by the leaders of our banner...

The highlight of the exterior of the entire square is undoubtedly the bronze sculpture of Martyr Zhang Yong. Zhang Yong, a Tianjin-educated youth who wrote a magnificent chapter in his short life, set an example for us — “Life is precious and belongs to the people; I vow to dedicate my youth to the people.” Zhang Yong was an educated youth who worked in E’erdunwula Sumu of Xin Youqi. He sacrificed his precious life while herding to rescue the commune’s sheep. After his death, he was posthumously recognized as a revolutionary martyr, leaving a profound and lasting impact across Hulunbuir and even the whole country, becoming a role model for educated youth everywhere. He is affectionately called “Wenqi” by the grassland herders — “Wenqi” in Mongolian means “loyal.” Zhang Yong earned people’s trust with his steadfast belief. Around Zhang Yong’s sculpture are placed 19 sheep in various poses, because Zhang Yong was only 19 years old when he died, in the prime of his youth. We use these 19 sheep to express our remembrance of him. This creative idea was proposed by Lian Ji, former Secretary of the Hulunbuir Municipal Party Committee and now Vice Chairman of the Autonomous Region, and is highly symbolic.

Another highlight of the square is the “Educated Youth Cultural Corridor” of Sige Teng Square. The corridor displays precious artifacts and photographic materials preserved from the time when the educated youth went to the countryside and the frontier. The goal is to help more people understand this period of history and to ensure the everlasting legacy of the educated youth spirit. The entire corridor showcases the glorious history of the educated youth of that time and the pioneering spirit that continues today. Back then, Chairman Mao called on the educated youth to go to the rural areas and the frontiers, using the fire of youth to ignite the flames of ideals. They left their families and hometowns with innocence and enthusiasm, with ideals and hopes, boarding special trains to go to where the motherland needed them most. With the care and guidance of the herders, they became pillars of the nation and a new type of figures in people’s minds.

Sige Teng Square not only commemorates the educated youth who devoted their youth, dreams, and even their lives to building the frontier, but it has also become a new patriotic education base in our banner. More importantly, it serves as a bridge and bond that strengthens the emotional ties between the educated youth and the people of their second hometown, becoming a sacred place that all educated youth across the country aspire to visit. And the people of all ethnic groups in Xin Youqi will surely, inspired by the spirit of the educated youth, bravely face the challenges of the new century and build their hometown into an even better place.