On behalf of the educated youth of Mamu Farm, I came to see off Zong Qinghou on his last journey.
Early this morning, I came to the Wahaha Hangzhou Xiasha base, with a heavy heart, to bid farewell to my old friend Zong Qinghou.
Our time of association dates back to 1963. At the beginning of May of that year, I set out from Hangzhou with dozens of educated youths and crossed the ocean to the Dinghai Donghai Farm in the west of Zhoushan Island, engaged in the arduous work of "repairing the earth". Zong Qinghou is one of us.
As soon as we arrived at the farm, we were thrilled by the desolation in front of us. At that time, Mamu was not yet connected to the main island of Zhoushan, and there was a wide trench in the middle, which we could only wade through with the help of rudimentary tools. It was an unimaginably difficult environment.
We grow grass and cotton on saline land, hard but full of hope. Zong Qinghou was simple, hard-working, and often picked stones and stone sand in the middle of the night, silently contributing to the construction of the farm.
I clearly remember that Zong Qinghou was a particularly smart and studious person. Although they didn't spend a lot of time together, his attitude towards learning was unforgettable. I asked him about dyeing cloth to make a uniform, and he wrote down in clear notes how to make dye.
Later, Zong Qinghou started Wahaha, but he is still grateful to us old friends, and he can feel his care and warmth every time he gathers.
It had been many years since he last met Zong Qing, and he had said at the meeting that he could be approached for any difficulties. Last year, we held a 60th anniversary party, and although Zong Qinghou was unable to attend, we still miss him in our hearts.
Although the time at Donghai Farm was only one year, Zong Qinghou and us educated youths formed a deep friendship, and this precious friendship will always be remembered in my heart. Today, we send him off for the last time, which is the best farewell to his deep friendship.