In the past 20 years, Hou Gui has planted more than 20 million trees on 2,400 acres of sandy land, turning the vast sand dunes into a lush oasis.
Hou Gui, who is in his seventies, has been planting trees since 2001, raising funds to grow saplings suitable for growing in the sand and discouraging villagers from grazing in the forest...... No matter how difficult it was, Hou Gui did not give up and insisted on patrolling the mountain twice a day. With this woodland day and night all year round, Hou Gui has witnessed the improvement of the ecological environment and the improvement of the people's awareness of forest protection - the natural forest has been preserved, the area of plantations has been expanded, and the green Great Wall against wind and sand has been built on the southern edge of the Horqin Sandy Land. In recent years, Hou Gui has won the "National Greening Medal", "National Outstanding Communist Party Member", "Green China Person of the Year" and other honors.
Hou Gui (left) and villagers preparing to plant trees (photo taken on May 1). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Lei
Hou Gui is cleaning a tree branch (photo taken on May 1). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Lei
Hou Gui (second from right) and fellow villagers prepare to plant trees (taken on May 1). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Gang
Hou Gui (second from right) set off with his wife Li Shuyuan and fellow villagers to plant trees (taken on May 1). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Lei
In the evening, Hou Gui, who had been busy all day, played with his puppy (taken on May 1). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Gang
In the evening, Hou Gui (right), who has been busy all day, walks with his wife Li Shuyuan (photo taken on May 1). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Gang
Hou Gui (first from right) and others watering new saplings together (taken on May 1). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Lei
Hou Gui prepares to water a new sapling (photo taken on May 1). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Lei
Hou Gui planting new saplings (photo taken on May 1). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Gang
Hou Gui watering a new sapling (photo taken on May 1). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Long Lei
Hou Gui (front) and villagers prepare to water a new sapling (photo taken on May 1). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Long Lei
Hou Guiwei measures plant spacing for trees (taken on May 1). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Long Lei
Hou Gui inspects the woodland (photo taken on April 25). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Long Lei
Hou Gui (front) and his wife Li Shuyuan are cooking dinner (photo taken on May 1). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Long Lei
Hou Gui planted tens of thousands of trees in the sand, and now they have become forests (drone photo taken on May 1). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Gang