Zhang Xiaoyi, a model agricultural worker in Shaanxi Province
Author Yan Guangqin
Zhang Xiaoyi (1929-1978), a native of Zhangjiashan (now Zhangshan Group, Zhangqiao Village, Liuzhi Town), was a model agricultural worker in Shaanxi Province.
Labor model Zhang Xiaoyi
Coming from a poor peasant family, he made a living as a teenager by herding cattle for others, renting other people's land, and doing short-term work. After liberation, he passionately threw himself into the land reform and agricultural cooperative movement, successively serving as the director of the peasant association, the leader of the mutual aid group, the director of the agricultural society, and the glorious joining of the Communist Party of China.
Zhangjia Mountain is located in a mountainous area with a deep mountain ditch. Before liberation, due to the destruction of forests and trees, soil erosion was serious, and the villagers lived in extreme poverty. Zhang Xiaoyi saw the crux of this problem and was determined to change the natural face and lead the masses on the road to prosperity. Since 1950, he has led the masses to start the arduous work of planting trees, maintaining water and soil, developing animal husbandry, increasing food production, and changing the face of poverty. He organized the masses to plant trees on barren mountains and bald ridges, build horizontal terraces, build orchards, change the habits of extensive farming, intensive farming, scientific farming, and vigorously develop animal husbandry and mountain side industries. By 1957, they had sealed more than 10,000 mu of mountains and forests, planted more than 4,000 mu of trees, built more than 100 mu of apple orchards, and planted and maintained more than 2,000 chestnut, walnut and persimmon trees. 90% of barren mountains have been greened, soil erosion has been controlled, and food production has been increasing. The sheep industry has also started from scratch and grown to hundreds. The comprehensive development of agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry has greatly improved the lives of the villagers, and in 1948, 65% of the households in the village were short of food, and by 1956, they had reached the goal of sufficient food for every family. Zhang Xiaoyi changed the face of poverty for Zhangjiashan. Not only have we made correct policy decisions, but we have always worked with the masses to share weal and woe, work together, lead by example, and be prepared to endure hardships.
Due to Zhang Xiaoyi's outstanding leadership, this remote mountain village of Zhangjiashan has become a well-known advanced unit of agriculture and forestry in the province and even the whole country. In 1956, it was rated as a model unit of forestry in Shaanxi Province and a national model agricultural society for agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry, and the Ministry of Forestry of the People's Republic of China also issued an award flag and an award certificate. In December 1958, Zhang Xiaoyi, on behalf of Zhang Jiashan, attended the National Conference of Representatives of Advanced Units in Agricultural Socialist Construction held in Beijing, and won the award certificate of "Advanced Unit for Agricultural Socialist Construction" issued by the State Council and signed by Premier Zhou Enlai.
ZhangJiashan received the State Council Award
In the early 1960s, Zhang Xiaoyi still led Zhangjiashan on the road of comprehensively developing agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry, but in the socialist education movement and the "Cultural Revolution", he was treated unfairly and attacked. After the Cultural Revolution, Zhang Xiaoyi was transferred to Liuzhi Commune and died soon after. In 1982, the Provincial People's Government awarded him the Model Worker Honor Certificate.
Source: Author's contribution
Original author: Yan Guangqin
Compilation and editing: Huazhou Literature and History Collection