Individuals awarded China's national honorary titles share insights on work ethics

Individuals who won China's national honorary titles on Sunday for their great contributions to the country's development shared their beliefs on work ethics.

The national honorary titles, China's highest honors that include "the People's Scientist", "the People's Artist", "the People's Craftsman" and "the People's Educator", were granted to these prominent figures at a ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Xu Zhenchao, an accomplished technician recognized for advancements in container handling technology, was awarded the title of "People's Craftsman". His innovative approaches have significantly improved the efficiency of container operations at Qingdao Port, playing a crucial role in the modernization of China's shipping and logistics sectors.

He believes that people can do great things even at an ordinary post.

"The education I received and the ideal I set up when I was young was to make a difference. For example, joining the army or being a pilot. But due to various reasons, I ended up being a worker. But I wasn't discouraged at all. What's wrong with being a worker? If I can do extraordinary things at an ordinary post, that's also making contribution to the country," Xu said.

Zhao Zhongxian, a physicist and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), was awarded the title of "People's Scientist" for his outstanding contributions to high-temperature superconductivity research over the past 40 years. He also received the nation's top science award in 2016.

Throughout his career, he has been striving for the scientific development of the whole country, which he regards as a duty.

"I think the responsibility of a scientist is both chasing for the truth and contributing for the state and the people. In fact, what we do is helping our motherland to take its rightful place in the world," Zhao said.

Zhang Zhuoyuan, an influential economist with significant contributions to market economy research, was honored with the title of "Outstanding Contributor to Economic Research".

He, 91, has devoted over seven decades to the profound study of the market economy, making exceptional theoretical contributions to the reform of the country's economic system.

He thinks now is the high time for younger generations to devote themselves to national development.

"The time we're in is a very good era. So we need to seize the opportunity. On the one hand, we should offer advice and suggestions to the Party and the government; while on the other hand, we need to build ourselves and make some achievements with this chance. We can do great things," Zhang noted.

Zhang Jinfan, a prominent jurist and legal educator on China's legal history, was granted the title of "People's Educator".

With diligence and academic enthusiasm, Zhang, 94, has not yet retired from teaching, and his expertise and dedication to the teaching has made great contributions to the cultivation of legal talents.

With such extraordinary resume, he is still very modest, seeing himself as a beginner to China’s long legal history.

"I have been an educator for 72 years. Some foreign scholars said to me, 'you've already become really proficient in this field.' But I relied, 'you're wrong. For now, I am only at the entry of China's legal history. I'm still happily on a long journey to learn more. It's far from the end," Zhang said.

The title of "People's Health Worker" was conferred on Lu Shengmei, a doctor with a longstanding commitment to improving healthcare in less-developed regions, especially in promoting safer childbirth practices and reducing infant mortality.

Although she retired from a county-level hospital in arid northwest China in 1999, Lu has continued to provide treatment for local people free of charge, alleviating their suffering and significantly enhancing the healthcare services at the grassroots level.

She said the responsibility the national honorary title implies is heavy, and she is going to spend all her life in treating and helping patients.

"The title of 'People's Health Worker' means heavy responsibility. Health worker is my job, but 'people' is the key attribute. I will serve the people until my life ends. As long as I'm still alive, I will try my best to whatever I can," Lu stressed.

The title of "People's Artist" was conferred on actress Tian Hua, whose portrayal of iconic female characters in early Chinese cinema has left a lasting impact on the industry.

Her performances have not only demonstrated her exceptional talent but also reflected the evolving role of women in society.

In her eyes, the roles she played came from the people, and her performance was for the people.

"My favorite words in the title of 'People's Artist' is 'people'. Even now, I’m still an ordinary actor who serves the people. Although I'm old, I'm still going to make contribution for the country and do whatever I can," said Tian.

Zhang Xielin, a celebrated table tennis player and coach, was awarded the title of "Outstanding Contributor to Sports." Zhang is a witness of the historic "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" that helped thaw relations between China and the United States in the early 1970s.

Over the years, he witnessed the rapid growth of China's sports cause.

"When I was a table tennis player, people from other countries referred China as the 'Sick Man of East Asia.' But now, who can call us that? We're already one of the leading sports nations. The Party Central Committee and the government have been encouraging and attaching great importance to the sports cause. People of the whole nation are also support it. I think China's sports industry will become better and better," Zhang said.

Individuals awarded China's national honorary titles share insights on work ethics

Following President Xi Jinping's call to protect the Erhai Lake in southwest China's Yunnan Province, students from Beijing's top agricultural university have embarked on a mission over the past few years to assist locals with agricultural production that promises much less damage to the lake's ecology, a great boost to their livelihoods, and a more harmonious relationship between man and nature.

Located in the city of Dali, the Erhai Lake sits at about 2,000 meters above sea level and covers more than 250 square km. Dubbed the "mother lake" by locals, the serene, ear-shaped freshwater lake attracts tens of millions of tourists every year.

However, as some villages there still struggle with how to balance environmental protection with the need to ensure local livelihoods, students from Beijing Agricultural University have traveled there to assist. Their mission: to promote the development of green agriculture and make sure the Erhai Lake stays clear and beautiful.

"Through research, it was found that the issues in Gusheng Village include the difficulty of balancing the protection of the Erhai Lake with increasing farmers' incomes. And farmers' traditional fertilization practices are also a big problem," said Chen Huan, a postgraduate student of Beijing Agricultural University.

Like all the farmers in Gusheng Village, 55-year-old He Licheng had always relied on using large quantities of water and fertilizer to grow his crops, an environmentally harmful approach to which he rarely gave any thought.

The first task for Chen Huan's team was to convince the farmers there to abandon their long-held practices and adopt what's known as precision fertilization. However, He Licheng and many others like him were skeptical at first.

He Lifeng didn't change his farming approach until the students explained that fertilizer runoff will enter the lake and severely pollute the water.

He said that he changed his mind because of President Xi's call to protect the Erhai Lake during his inspection tour of Yunnan in January 2015.

"I took a photo beside the Erhai Lake. I told them I would take another photo years later and hope the water would be cleaner and clearer than what I saw. If not, I'll hold you accountable," President Xi said to a crowd of farmers in 2015.

He Licheng was right there at that moment. He and other villagers took President Xi's words to heart and turned them into action.

Fishermen stopped their reckless fishing, and families living along the shores of the river relocated. He Licheng and other farmers also joined the efforts to reduce the negative impacts of farming practices on the lake's ecological system.

"At that time, we didn't understand the conflict between agriculture and the pollution of the Erhai Lake," the farmer said.

With the introduction of new methods and eco-friendly smart fertilizer, farmers, unsure about the yield before, are finally welcoming the harvest season this year, a season with unexpected outcomes.

"Look at this field. We've had a bumper harvest this year! The stalks are longer, which means the yield has increased and the grains are fuller, too," said He Licheng, beaming.

"When we measured the yield, we found it was much higher than with our traditional methods. We thought, 'Wow, this is a magic!'" he went on.

He Licheng said he realized that protecting the environment and boosting the villagers' income could go hand in hand, thanks to science and technology.

The surprises didn't end there. As Erhai Lake cleared up, lush golden fields expanded. The once-quiet Gusheng Village turned into a popular tourist destination.

"Look at Gusheng Village now. There are over 100 guesthouses here! When we first arrived here, there were only three. And now, look, there are so many more," said Chen Huan, the student from Beijing.

Among these guesthouses is one owned by He Licheng himself. He says the number of tourists has soared over the years.

"When President Xi came, he told us that 'lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.' I didn't really figure out the meaning. Now, seeing the reality, I finally get it," the farmer said.

Now the farmers and students are wishing President Xi would come here and visit the lake again to see how it has transformed over the years.

President Xi, instead, replied to a letter from the university students, in which he applauded their contributions to rural revitalization and encouraged them to work harder.

"What you said is very well put, that young people should seek out challenges on their own. I hope you students will set ambitious goals while staying grounded, combining classroom theory with rural practice. I hope you can make significant contributions to rural revitalization and devote your youth and strength to speeding up rural and agricultural modernization and the construction of a modern socialist country," Xi said in his letter which was read out by Chen Huan.

Chen Huan has stayed in Gusheng Village for two years, still devoted to her mission there, and so are the new college students who keep coming down to the rural areas these days.

Protecting Erhai Lake and boosting local livelihoods go hand in hand in Yunnan