Stepping Clouds Bridge Martyrs' Poetry and Prose Stone Forest

　　    The Stepping Clouds Bridge Martyrs' Poetry and Prose Stone Forest is located by Stepping Clouds Bridge, which connects the Martyrs' Cemetery and the former Bai Mansion. It covers an area of 4,000 square meters. In January 1987, the Geleshan Martyrs' Cemetery in Chongqing began a three-year construction project focused on three main tasks: exhibition displays, martyr statues, and the Martyrs' Poetry and Prose Stone Forest. The Stepping Clouds Bridge Martyrs' Poetry and Prose Stone Forest was completed in 1988. A total of 94 huge rocks from the riverbank were used, the heaviest weighing up to 21 tons. The stone tablets are inscribed with 24 poems and prose pieces written by martyrs who sacrificed their lives at the Sino-American Cooperative Organization. These inscriptions were penned by renowned calligraphers from across China in Chinese, Tibetan, Mongolian, and Uyghur scripts, and were carved by skilled artisans. All the stones used in the forest come from millennia-old riverbed rocks of the Yangtze River, symbolizing that no matter how time passes or how wind and rain may erode, the martyrs’ poetry—like their great spirits—will forever stand firm in the hearts of future generations. Today, when visitors come to this beautifully arranged stone forest of martyr poetry, facing these massive rocks and powerful words, a deep sense of reverence for the martyrs naturally arises.

　　    Source: Chongqing Hongyan Cultural Development Management Center     Author: Liu Liqun