Twin brothers spend 48 years greening land
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E-mail China.org.cn, December 3, 2016
The 48-year endeavor of land reclamation taken by Xu Zhiqiang and Xu Zhigang, twin brothers in a far-flung village in Gansu Province, has transformed their surroundings from bare land into woods.
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Green trees carpet the residences of Xu Zhiqiang and Xu Zhigang, 68-year-old twin brothers who spent 48 years growing trees on the deserted mountains. |
Trees, including bamboos, pines, cypresses, begonias, peach trees and pear trees, tower above the two-mu (1,333 square-meter) courtyard where a pavilion with eight eaves stands beside a low wall that connects the homes of the old and new through a half-moon gate. When spring comes, the courtyard is bursting with tree blossoms.
The idyllic reclusive residences and their green surroundings were not built in one day. During the past few decades, the twin brothers, who turned 68 this year, have single-mindedly brought an oasis to this desolate hinterland which was repetitiously afflicted by mudslides, as there were no trees to lock the soil underfoot. In 1968, Xu Zhiqiang's wife almost lost her life after slipping into a burrow caused by a landslide.
"Had the conditions continued deteriorating, the mudslide would have eventually destroyed the village and claimed every local life," said Xu.
After being inspired by a movie that told people soil erosions can be harnessed by plantations, the brothers resolved to grow trees near their homes.
However, they were soon to find that reclaiming land on the yellow-soil plateau is no less difficult than nursing a baby. Their first attempt was in vain, as all the trees they grew died of severe drought.
Several years passed, but the situation never changed as the trees the brothers grew either withered in drought or collapsed in floods. However, the twin brothers' enthusiasm was never dampened by the continuous failures, and their efforts eventually paid off when they discovered the trees could withstand the droughts and floods as long as they were removed from mountain slopes and encircled by the trunks of dead trees. Encouraged by their first success, the brothers couldn't stop growing trees. When Xu Zhiqiang earned 700 yuan (US$102) by selling a foal, his wife asked him to save the money so that they could use it to build a house. But against her wishes, Xu spent the entire fortune to bring home 700 saplings from a forestry station some 60 kilometers away and his boldness and obstinacy enraged the entire family. Despite their complaints, Xu grew the young trees single-handedly. When hearing of his success, the station keeper visited Xu and promised to sell more saplings to him at a discount.
Learning from their own experiences, the twin brothers have found that trees on the plateaus are likely to live on when they grow in high density. Therefore, to expand their reclamation plan, they abandoned 10 mu (666,7 square meters) of contracted land to plant crops and asked for deserted terraces on mountains totaling 30 mu to grow more trees.
Riding the tide of reform and opening up, the brothers made a considerable fortune by selling livestock, such as cows and sheep, as well as agricultural byproducts. But their savings were mostly spent on purchasing trees, leading the family to tighten its belt.
To increase the family's incomes, Xu Zhiqiang's wife raised some chickens. One day when she asked Xu to sell the poultry and bring home new clothes for their child, Xu spent the money on 30 saplings instead.
As they've grown old, the brothers have not put down their shovels. Several years ago, Xu Zhiqiang underwent surgery when his prostate suffered inflammation. Contrary to the doctor's advice, which asked him to have a rest for at least a year without doing any strenuous work, Xu continued to take care of the trees on the mountains by sitting and moving on a weed cushion.
The brothers often irrigate the trees on mountains by carrying water buckets hanging on poles. To keep balance, they'll insert one of their feet into the mud to support the entire weight and turn another foot to move upward. When they found a puddle on the mountain after rain, they would slip towards it with the buttress of the shovels, outstretching their entire body to scoop up water. Several rounds later, their jackets were stained with perspirations.
Their granddaughter, who often commutes between Nanjing Forestry University and her hometown, said that every time she gets off from the train at Dingxi Railway Station, in the middle of Gansu Province, she is overwhelmed by the desolation of the mountains and plateaus. However, after she transferred to a bus heading home, the green landscape created by the lifetime endeavors of her two grandfathers comes into sight. Looking at the spectacular scenery, she always has an impression that the beauty of her hometown is parallel to the views of southeastern China where she is studying.
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