Overview News Reporter Peng Wenjun, Li Jian, Bian Yiting, Trainee Reporter Huang Yuhan, Correspondents: Liu Yang, Shi Hongfei
On April 22, Zhao Weizhong, the "General of Hope" who brought hope to countless children, left.
Zhao Weizhong, the former deputy political commissar of the Hebei Provincial Military Region, retired in 1992 and joined the ranks of Hope Project volunteers, dedicating his sincerity, affection and selfless love to poor out-of-school children.
"Be a lifelong volunteer, be a 'Little Red Riding Hood' forever", he has been helping students for decades, collecting hundreds of thousands of words of information about out-of-school children, and donating all his retirement income. At the same time, it mobilized family and social forces, and raised more than 10 million yuan in individual donations and social donations, subsidized more than 5,000 poor students, and helped build 35 hope primary schools. In 2004, he was named "Top Ten People Who Moved Hebei" by Yanzhao Metropolis Daily.
Although the "General Hope" is gone, he leaves hope in the land of Yanzhao.
"General Hope" Zhao Weizhong (right). (Photo provided by the interviewee)
A general cultivated by the people will serve the people all his life
On the afternoon of April 22, after many days of sunny weather in Shijiazhuang, there was a sudden thundershower. It rained heavily and lightly until dark. At about 10 o'clock in the evening, Wang Fenggui, who was a little irritable by the weather, received a message from his comrades-in-arms: General Zhao Weizhong died of illness in Beijing at 16 o'clock that day at the age of 92.
Wang Fenggui couldn't sleep anymore, and the bits and pieces of his acquaintance with General Zhao flashed in front of him like a movie.
Around the National Day in 1996, Wang Fenggui, then a reporter of the work office directly under the Hebei Provincial Military Region Headquarters, and his comrades-in-arms interviewed General Zhao Weizhong. "As soon as I entered the house, I was greeted by an old-fashioned house, simple furniture, an old bicycle that a friend didn't want, and a creaking ceiling fan...... "Wang Fenggui never imagined that this would be the home of a deputy military-level cadre."
It was at such a home that General Zhao gushed to Wang Fenggui about his indissoluble bond with the Hope Project.
The first thing he did after retiring was to send 3,000 yuan to the Provincial Youth Development Foundation, which was used for 10 children in Chengnanzhuang, Fuping County, Baoding City. Since then, the Hope Project has become a career that he and his wife Bu Wenjing have been striving for for the rest of their lives. ”
He said that there are four major benefits of participating in the Hope Project: cultivating sentiment, purifying the soul, maintaining the old festival, and prolonging life. ”
He called on the whole people to do a good job of the Hope Project, and if everyone with a salary can help a child, it will make our country free of illiteracy. ”
After 28 years, on the afternoon of April 23, Wang Fenggui recalled the scenes in the small courtyard to the reporter of Zongguan News, and his heart was still shocked, and his eyes were unconsciously red.
"General Zhao's childhood was unfortunate, his parents died when he was very young, leaving them to rely on each other. Because of his poor family, he dropped out of school 4 times, and relied on the help of well-wishers to complete his studies. In Wang Fenggui's view, the suffering of dropping out of school and the difficulty of studying when he was a child had a great impact on Zhao Weizhong, and it also created a deep relationship between him and the people later. He said that when he has the ability and has time after retirement, he should 'repay the favor' and help those children in need. Wang Fenggui said.
On that day, Wang Fenggui accompanied Zhao Weizhong to Hujiatan Village, Cangyanshan Town, Jingcheng County. The area has just been hit by severe flooding, and the rugged mountain roads are muddy. What surprised Wang Fenggui was not only the general's familiarity with the road into the village, but also the kindness of the villagers when they saw him. The children ran over while shouting for their grandfather, snuggled in Zhao Weizhong's arms, and said that they wanted to listen to him tell stories.
The general took the condolences and school supplies he bought with his savings, went to the villages and alleys to chat with the people, and told the children to study hard. When leaving, the common people took Zhao Weizhong's hand, reluctantly, and the general smiled and said to everyone that he would come back often to see.
"On that day, the general said to me that he came out of the poor masses, that he was a general trained by the people, that he was always grateful to the people, and that he would serve the people all his life. Wang Fenggui said excitedly: "In the following years, he fulfilled his oath with his own actions. ”
Zhao Weizhong interacts with the sponsored students. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
Zhao Weizhong was the "people's general", and Shi Jian, who was Zhao Weizhong's driver at the time, also felt a lot about this. On April 23, when he received a call from reporters, he was still immersed in the shock and grief of the general's death.
"Being a driver for the chief seems to outsiders to be a 'good errand', but in fact this driver is not easy to be. Shi Jianzhi recalled that in just three years of following Zhao Weizhong, he traveled to almost all counties in Hebei Province.
"The chief is very fond of going to the grassroots, and he often tells us that only by going to the grassroots can we understand what the people need. Shi Jianzhi said that at that time, they had traveled to eight or nine counties in seven days, and they would drive wherever the road was difficult, and the road was in a hurry, and they could not eat well. "He never puts on a show, he is always coarse tea and light rice. Once, the local comrades saw that the chief was working too hard, so they prepared a few more dishes, and the general was so angry that he got up and left. In the eyes of Shi Jian's subordinates, Zhao Weizhong can afford the words "servant of the people".
I don't keep a penny of my money, it's not that I don't want a penny of my money
"It's my money, not a penny. Not my money, not a penny. Zhao Weizhong's words back then have been remembered by Shi Jian's family to this day.
"When there was a flood in Dongyang, Zhejiang Province in 1990, the chief called me to his office and gave me a wad of money to donate to the disaster area in my own name. The chief kept this matter very secretive, and the provincial military districts did not know about it. Shi Jianzhi recalled a scene 34 years ago.
"The chief told me that his hometown was in trouble, and he was just doing what he should do for the people of his hometown. When I made a donation, the pile of money in my hand seemed to weigh a thousand pounds. Shi Jian's subordinate told reporters that not only in Dongyang, Zhejiang, but also in the whole country where there was a disaster and a flood, Zhao Weizhong would ask him to donate on his behalf. In Zhao Weizhong's view, this is what a Communist Party member should do.
On the morning of April 23, Huang Daqing, a staff member of the Preparatory Office of the Hebei Revolutionary Military Museum, learned the news of the death of General Zhao Weizhong.
From 1999 to 2010, Huang Daqing was engaged in news reporting in the Hebei Provincial Military Region, and he followed General Zhao Weizhong many times.
Once, Huang Daqing happened to go to General Zhao's house at noon and saw him and his lover having lunch. On another occasion, he followed General Zhao Weizhong to a Hope Primary School in a poverty-stricken mountainous area of Zanhuang County, and when it was time for lunch, the accompanying township leaders proposed to go to a nearby restaurant for dinner. General Zhao resolutely disagreed, so he asked the township to buy a box of instant noodles, set up a pot in the yard, and cooked a pot of instant noodles. At that time, there was no table, so the chief and the big guys ate directly in the same place holding the bowl. ”
General Zhao used every penny he saved to support Project Hope. Che Xiaoqiao, one of the initiators of the Hope Project and the daughter of Che Zhizhong, former vice chairman of the CPPCC of Laiyuan County, Baoding, told reporters with emotion. Her father is Zhao Weizhong's best friend, and the two are known as "Hebei Erzhong", and they have teamed up to rescue hundreds of suffering children in Laiyuan County and help them get out of the mountains.
Che Xiaoqiao recalled that General Zhao had been to Laiyuan countless times, not only to help students and alleviate poverty, but also to help the disabled and treat poor and sick children. He helped sick children contact the hospital, invited children from difficult families to his home for meals and accommodation, and even cooked meals for the hospitalized children. "His level is so high, but he doesn't have any shelf at all, he eats and lives with the people, and even brings his daughter and son-in-law to Laiyuan to help together. ”
Zhao Weizhong took a group photo with the sponsored students. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
In Zhaojiajing Village, Laiyuan County, Zhao Weizhong saw that two of the four classrooms in the primary school had collapsed, and two had become dilapidated houses, so that the children had to study in the open air in the summer and attend classes in the sheepfold in the winter. The village cadres said helplessly: "To renovate the school building, it will cost 8,000 yuan to say the least, and the village really has no money!" Zhao Weizhong immediately said: "I just drink gruel, and I will also spend 10,000 yuan to build a few decent classrooms for the children." After that, he took out 10,000 yuan from his own house and raised 20,000 yuan from various sources to build 9 new classrooms in Zhaojiajing Village.
Different from everyone's imagination, in the 90s of the last century, Zhao Weizhong and his wife's monthly income was only more than 1,000 yuan, and more than 10,000 yuan was spent on out-of-school children every year, and the cost of visiting various places to inspect the Hope Project was also several thousand yuan.
He went to Laiyuan one by one to pull supplies, including tables, chairs, benches, children's school supplies, etc. In Che Xiaoqiao's memory, whenever his father encountered a poor and sick child that he couldn't help, Zhao Weizhong would lend a helping hand and help contact caring people in the society. At that time, there were 35 hope primary schools in Laiyuan, and Zhao Weizhong personally visited each one and donated materials.
"Now the Hope Project is blooming everywhere in Laiyuan, which is inseparable from General Zhao's attention and publicity. He once said that he would devote his life's energy to the Hope Project and to the children. Speaking of this, Che Xiaoqiao's eyes were full of tears.
His iconic "Little Red Riding Hood", which was worn by sponsored children, continues to be worn
Stacks of certificates, a "Little Red Riding Hood", donated bills, letters from the aided students...... On the afternoon of April 23, Huang Daqing showed reporters his collection of more than 90 "treasures" related to General Zhao Weizhong. Seeing things and thinking about people, he was full of emotion.
"The old general usually wears a 'Little Red Riding Hood', which is given by participating in various activities. Huang Daqing stroked a few "Little Red Riding Hoods", and his words were a little choked. After retiring, General Zhao no longer wore military uniforms, and the "Little Red Riding Hood" with the words "Hope Project Volunteers", "Hebei Volunteers" and "Hebei Children's Foundation" written on the top was worn on his head every day and became his symbol.
Among the old objects, there is also a pile of yellowed business cards. On the front is written: Zhao Weizhong, a volunteer of the Hope Project of the Hebei Provincial Military Region. The back reads: Tell the story of the Hope Project, make friends with the Hope Project, do the practical things of the Hope Project, and write Hope Project articles. This is the business card that General Zhao carried with him back then, and no matter where he went, he took the initiative to introduce himself and handed over the business card, welcoming the other party to join his Hope Project love team.
"General Hope" Zhao Weizhong presented certificates to the volunteers of the Hope Project. (Data map)
Under the influence and inspiration of Zhao Weizhong, many officers and men of the army, entrepreneurs, and migrant workers have become his "friends of hope," and the "army of hope" has grown rapidly like a snowball. Some of the hard-working children who benefited from his efforts became college students, masters, doctors, leaders, entrepreneurs, and some returned to their hometowns and wore his iconic "Little Red Riding Hood" to continue to pass on hope.
If all the children who have been sponsored by the Hope Project line up in a team, Zhang Shengli should be the one standing at the head of the team. In 1989, because of his desire to go to school, Zhang Shengli, who was about to drop out of school, wrote a letter of help to Che Zhizhong, then vice chairman of the Laiyuan County CPPCC, and was fortunate to become the "first person to receive help from the Hope Project". Since then, this poor girl in the mountains has completed primary and junior high school with the support of the society, and has been sent to Shanghai to study as a teacher.
"I will never forget the day I graduated from Shanghai Normal School in 1997, General Zhao, who had always cared for me, rushed to the school as parents together with Uncle Che and took me back to Laiyuan. Zhang Shengli recalled to reporters that at that time, he returned to Taomu Pimple Primary School on the top of the big hill in Dongtuanbao Township and became a substitute teacher.
"In the first class, I told the students about how Project Hope has helped me and encouraged them to work hard. Zhang Shengli said that the situation at the school was very serious: many children in the village dropped out of school due to poverty, and there were only five students in the whole school, and then two more dropped out of school, leaving only three students.
Because I have been drenched in the rain, I am more willing to hold up an umbrella for others. The young Zhang Shengli began to visit village by village deep in the mountains, "I told everyone to help the children go to school, and they didn't have to pay for the books. I don't have the financial means myself, so I can pull social sponsorship to fund them. With Zhang's help, many children were able to return to school. But at that time, as a substitute teacher, Zhang Shengli's monthly salary was only 150 yuan. "In the first few years, even my own life was maintained with the help of General Zhao and other well-wishers. ”
After graduating from Shanghai Normal School, Zhang Shengli, one of the first batch of out-of-school children to receive the sponsorship, returned to Taomu Pimple Primary School to teach. (Data map)
In this way, Zhang Shengli also put on the "Little Red Riding Hood" and became a promoter from a beneficiary of the Hope Project, holding up the hope of the villagers in the ravine with his own efforts. Every Saturday and Sunday, he either goes door-to-door in the local area according to the "roster of poor students", or runs around to sponsor it, and "floats outside" for most of the year. "Sometimes I feel a lot of pressure and I can't do it, but when I think that General Zhao once said to me that we should repay our kindness and thank the party, I gritted my teeth and persevered. He said.
Hearing the news of Zhao Weizhong's death, Zhang Shengli was very sad, but in his grief, he drew the strength to move forward. He said in a firm tone: "Please rest assured, I will continue to repay you for your help with my practical actions, and continue to do Project Hope as my life's work." ”