Zhang Bingai, born in Guilin Village, Zigui County, Hubei Province, is a hardworking and strong rural woman.
At that time, she was arranged by her parents to marry a disabled person on the bank of the Yangtze River. Since her husband was unable to do farm work, most of the family's work fell on Zhang Bingai's shoulders alone. Despite the difficulties she faced, she never flinched and took on the responsibility of taking care of her family more resolutely.
In order to create a better life for his children, Zhang Bingai worked day and night and did not dare to slack off. She is convinced that as long as there is land, there is hope. She believes in the power of land and its ability to create an economy and bring income. Although life is not rich, in her opinion, as long as the family is safe and has their own land, it is a happy life.
However, fate does not always go your way. A catastrophe struck and changed the fate of her and her family......
With the launch of the Three Gorges Project, the surrounding residents must face the fate of relocation. Zhang Bingai's family, who live below the 135-meter water mark, were included in the first batch of relocation lists. However, relocation meant losing her land, which would be devastating for her.
Considering Zhang Bingai's actual situation, the local government agreed to postpone their relocation. However, other villagers have moved away, leaving their homes where they have lived for decades, with a lot of nostalgia and reluctance.
The village cadres kept persuading Zhang Bingai's family and promised to provide new fields. However, when he saw the allotted slope, Zhang Bingai was furious. There is no water or electricity, and it is not even possible to build houses. Although the government subsidy can relieve the pressure of life, she cannot accept such an arrangement. So, she decided to find the right place for her family to find a better future for herself.
When Zhang Bingai's family was building the Yichang-Chongqing road, they made a request to the staff to keep their shack for their family to live in. However, the staff told them that the ownership of the land was in the hands of the village council and that they could not make their own decisions. Faced with this helplessness, Zhang Bingai's family could only reluctantly accept the allocated slope land, but still resolutely refused to relocate.
As the work underway, Ms. Zhang's family was quickly plunged into pitch black as the power supply was cut off. However, she resolutely chose to stay in her homeland and stick to the peaceful life of her family. However, this is only a test that fate has given them.
The lack of educational resources prevented Zhang Bingai's eldest son from successfully passing the college entrance examination, and finally had to give up his dream and choose to serve as a soldier in Xinjiang. This was undoubtedly a difficult choice, but in the face of difficulties and difficulties, they chose to be brave and determined.
However, fate did not let them go. In 2003, the water level of the Yangtze River rose again, and this time, Zhang Bingai's home was submerged. After a year of struggling to live in a self-built house, they eventually had to use all the compensation money to buy a simple shack on the side of the road.
In 2007, when director Feng Yan asked Zhang Bingai about her expectations for life, she was silent for a moment and said that she hoped that she could live a life of love. Although she has heard a little about the changes in the outside world over the years, she still can't let go of the nostalgia for her homeland.
In the new living environment, Zhang Bingai and her family have experienced many difficulties and challenges. The shack was a simple but new home. Zhang Bingai works with his own hands, making the shack gradually become warmer. Although she faced all kinds of difficulties, she never gave up her yearning for a better life.
Although his son in Xinjiang is far away, Zhang Bingai still cares about him and prays for his safe return. She is well aware of the importance of education and hopes that her son can grow up and train in the army to lay a solid foundation for his future life.
In Feng Yan's interview, Zhang Bingai showed tenacity and optimism. Despite her difficult situation, she is still full of hope and longing for life. Her expectations are very simple, she just wants to live a life of love, and this desire deeply touched Feng Yan's heart.
Zhang Bingai wants her children to achieve better, but even if they can't leave the countryside, she doesn't worry because they have solid land to back them up.
Although Zhang Bingai's family is a "nail household" in this land, with government subsidies, their lives are gradually developing in a better direction.
Maybe Zhang Bingai hesitated, but she finally chose to stick to it.
Zhang Bingai, she is the guardian of that land, and her life is as quiet and tenacious as that land.
In her mouth, the simple phrase "the land gives birth to all things" contains a deep belief and attitude towards life. For her, land is not only a resource, but also a kind of spiritual sustenance, her innate sense of belonging and attachment.
Fei Xiaotong once pointed out in "Native China" that the Chinese have a long history of affection for their homeland. Home is not only a physical space, but also a habitat for the soul. In the fast-paced modern life, people may have gradually forgotten this affection, but it is undeniable that the land carries our past memories and cultural heritage.
Perhaps, in this rapidly changing era, Zhang Bingai's choice is not an escape, but a return to the original voice of the heart, a pursuit of the true meaning of life. Her story, like a fresh and elegant poem, makes us feel the power of the land and the true meaning of life.