China Youth Network Kaifeng, October 23 (Reporter An Li) "Goodbye, 'Liu Qiang'".
Standing on the Yellow River Observation Deck at Heigangkou in Kaifeng, Henan Province, looking out over the railing, the Yellow River in front of you is wide and peaceful. On the embankment of the Heigangkou Extension Control and Guidance Project, one kilometer from the observation deck, the rescue team members are working intensively.
"Willow Strong" is a willow tree next to the embankment of the Heigangkou Lower Extension Control and Guidance Project. Originally, among the six willow trees overlooking the rolling Yellow River on the dam, only this "single seedling" was not submerged by the river and stood tenaciously, so in their leisure time, the rescue team members on the embankment named it "Willow Strong". But then, the water level rose one after another, and the only surviving "willow strong" tree could not hold up, and finally on October 17, it was flooded by the canopy.
On October 17, Zhang Fei photographed the "Liu Qiang" that has not yet been submerged. Photo courtesy of Zhang Fei
This farewell to "Liu Qiangqiang" comes from the circle of friends of Zhang Fei, the leader of the rescue team of the Yellow River Bureau in Kaifeng.
"To hold the levee is to defend the entire Kaifeng City!"
"Rain, flood, danger, how unbearable." Overtime, overtime, acceleration, urgency. ——From Zhang Fei's circle of friends on September 24.
The surface of the yellow river is calm, but in fact it is hidden and turbulent. Since ancient times, the Yellow River has been said to be "iron-headed copper-tailed tofu waist", Henan Kaifeng is precisely in the "tofu waist", the river is "wide and shallow, scattered, wandering and changeable", the history of the Yellow River many times broke, diversion occurred here. The Heigangkou Lower Extension Control and Guidance Project is located in the most dangerous section of the Yellow River, bringing together all the "difficult and complicated diseases" of the Yellow River. This section of the river is only 200 meters at its narrowest point, and in the autumn flood this year, the water level of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River's main tributaries has risen and the flow rate has accelerated, and the daily flow of 5,000 cubic meters per second has to pass through this narrow 200 meters, which is very prone to dangerous situations.
Since September 24, Zhang Fei and members of the Yellow River Rescue Commando team have not returned home. In Zhang Fei's impression, this year's autumn flood is particularly "fierce": within 9 days, the Yellow River has had three numbered floods, resulting in the water level of the backbone reservoir being continuously pushed up, and the downstream section of the river is facing the test of long-term, high water level and large flow flooding.
Yuan Dongliang, deputy director of the Hydrological Bureau of the Yellow River Water Conservancy Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources, said: "This year's autumn floods in the lower reaches of the Yellow River are numerous, long and magnitude, which is rare in history. The Tongguan Hydrological Station had its largest flood since 1979, and the Huayuankou Hydrological Station had its largest flood since 1996. The Tributaries of the Yellow River, the Wei River, the Yiluo River, the Qin River, and the Fenhe River, all had the largest floods in the same period since the actual data were measured. ”
"The river is dangerous and the flood control pressure of the project is high, so we are on duty 24 hours a day and have been reinforcing the project." Zhang Fei said. On the embankment, the excavator dug a rectangular pit in the ground, and two rescue team members struggled to spread the heavy lead wire cage and place the lead wire cage on top of the pit. Subsequently, the excavator put the defensive stone material at the head of the dam into the pit with the lead wire cage mat, and the four rescue team members came forward to complete the binding of the lead wire cage.
Members of the Kaifeng River Bureau's party-member rescue commando team are straddling lead wire cages. Photo courtesy of Zhang Fei
When the preparations were completed, the front wheels of the excavator stopped precisely at the edge of the dam, the shovels leaned forward, and with a "whoosh" sound, a six- or seven-ton lead wire cage was dumped into the swirling river.
The is Zhang Fei's battlefield. When a dangerous situation occurs, the first thing Zhang Fei has to do is to observe the river potential. "Different river potentials, we use different rescue methods. Just like when fighting, you must first observe the enemy, how does the enemy line up? What is the direction of the enemy's main force? Which area of our side is the weakest defensive? A plan can only be developed after observing the river potential. We throw lead wire cages to protect the slope of the underwater root stone and prevent the stone layer from breaking. For places where there are no stones, we usually put willow stone pillows or sandbags for protection. Zhang Fei said.
The lead wire cage made of metal is very sharp, and the team members will be scratched if they are not careful. "After a day's work, several of our team members had marks on their arms and hands that had been drawn by lead wire cages. Some time ago, it was windy and rainy, everyone rushed to the rescue in the rain, and several of our team members had a cold. But once the rescue starts, it can't stop, and everyone is holding out day and night. Zhang Fei said.
Just a few minutes before the interview, Zhang Fei was still busy communicating with the leaders of the Henan Provincial Bureau on the phone to communicate the rescue plan and report on the progress of the rescue. "This flood is a test for us, and to hold the levee is to defend the entire kaifeng city!"
What is unrepentant is the persistence of three generations, and what remains unchanged is the deep affection for the Yellow River
Zhang Fei was born in the "Yellow Control" family, the family's grandfather, uncle, mother are all working on the Yellow River embankment, Zhang Fei is already the third generation of "Yellow Control" in the family.
Next to the Heigangkou Yellow River Observation Deck, there is a small pavilion, hidden in the verdant willow trees, which has a special charm. Zhang Fei told reporters: "The pavilion was built by my uncle in 1986, and the observation deck next to it was built by me in 2020." In the beginning, my grandfather was on the embankment a kilometer away from the observation deck, and later my uncle 'took over the baton'. In 1982, the second major flood after the founding of New China occurred at Heigangkou in Kaifeng, Henan, and my uncle presided over the rescue on the embankment as the leader of the rescue team. Now, the 'baton' has reached my hands. ”
Zhang Fei (first from right) and uncle. Photo courtesy of Zhang Fei
In 2004, Zhang Fei returned to his hometown after retiring from the army, and his initial work place was the office of the government unit. "In 2011, there was a relatively large danger in the Liuyuankou lower extension control and guidance project, and the unit summoned personnel to rescue the rescue, and I took the initiative to sign up. At that time, I thought, I must go to the front line to see. ”
Recalling the scene of the first time he participated in the rescue of the Yellow River, Zhang Fei still felt passionate. "The atmosphere at that time particularly infected me, and more than two hundred people rushed to the dam together. The embankment was windy and the road was not easy, and a female comrade in her forties was holding a tree in one hand to maintain her balance and transporting materials in the other. Whether it is an old worker or a young worker, everyone is desperately trying to rescue the danger, at that moment I was particularly moved, I thought to myself, this is the working atmosphere I want, to hold the dam, is to guard the home, to keep the safety of the people! ”
The blood of the youth touched the body temperature of the Yellow River. Zhang Fei quit the "iron rice bowl" where he had worked for five years and turned to the front line.
"At that time, I first cut and played, first quit my work in the organ, and then notified my family. At that time, the whole family was opposed, and the parents hoped that the children could be safe and stable around them, and the office work could not blow and the rain could not be rained, so why should they suffer? The family also had a family meeting over the incident. Zhang Fei smiled, "But I finally persuaded my family, and I said to my mother, I just want to walk around and walk around along the place where you and your grandfather and uncle have walked, and guard the Yellow River where you have insisted." ”
One of Zhang Fei's favorite quotes is Huang Jianxiang's classic line: "You are not alone in battle." In Zhang Fei's view, this sentence refers to the children of the Yellow River.
In Zhang Fei's circle of friends, there is always a group of people wearing "peace blue" and "safety orange", who do not stop day and night, charge ahead, and successfully resolve the dangerous situation again and again. In the commando team of party members led by Zhang Fei, more than 20 rescue team members are all "Huang Second Generation" and "Yellow Third Generation", who have taken over the baton in the hands of their fathers and grandparents and guarded this rushing river.
Zhang Fei (first from left) and the team members work at Heigangkou. Photo courtesy of Zhang Fei himself
"When there is negligence in the work of the team members, I will always tell them that we are carrying the glory of our parents, and our parents have come out of great suffering. At that time, the rescue was all by hand, and the stones used to strengthen the river embankment were all carried by shoulders, where was the equipment? What are we desperately trying to do? The picture is not to dishonor the reputation of the father,and strive to be a better ruler than the father! Zhang Fei said.
"Thanksgiving, the Yellow River gives me everything"
Click on Zhang Fei's WeChat circle of friends, as if watching a documentary about the Yellow River. Almost every two days, he would post a small video about the Yellow River in his circle of friends. Under his lens, the Yellow River in the rain is quiet and vast, the banks of the Yellow River in the snow are clean and ethereal, the Yellow River under the sunset is golden and brilliant, and the Yellow River under the clear sky and hot sun is magnificent. "My favorite thing is to watch the Yellow River at sunset. Sometimes I buried my head on the shore for an afternoon, and then I looked up and it was already sunset. At that time, watching the sunset was the most relaxing and comfortable. Zhang Fei said.
Zhang Fei photographs the Yellow River at sunset. Photo courtesy of Zhang Fei
In recent years, Zhang Fei has begun to use drone aerial photography to record the process of rescue and construction. "Every once in a while I take out the video and look at it to sum up the experience."
When there is danger, "Zhang Fei" is the repair and defense worker of the Yellow River, and when there is no danger, "Zhang Fei" is the construction team. In March last year, the Heigangkou Ecological Restoration and Greening Viewing Project was launched, and Zhang Fei led the team to complete the 10-kilometer ecological corridor in only 26 days. He used a drone to take a video to record the "gorgeous transformation" of the demonstration section of the Yellow River ecological corridor. "It used to be a desolate and dilapidated place, but now there are slow lanes, there are lawns, and here you can see the 'sunset hanging river', how beautiful!"
Zhang Fei used aerial drones to photograph the construction of the Yellow River ecological corridor. Photo courtesy of Zhang Fei
From a white young man to a rugged man with dark skin today, the wind and sun on the bank of the Yellow River have left an indelible mark on Zhang Fei's face. Now, Zhang Fei hopes that his children will one day take over the "baton" that has lasted for three generations and "grow wildly" on the banks of the Yellow River. He said: "My son wrote an essay and I was very pleased to read it. He wrote, "I thought that when I became a yellow keeper, I would dedicate all my youth and my energy to the Yellow River, manage and develop the Yellow River well, and make it a happy river that benefits the people." I firmly believe that one day, my wish will become a towering tree and bear fruitful fruits'. I thought, my son is grown! Only when you have experienced great events in the wind and rain and seen the world can you be regarded as a child of the Yellow River. ”
The Yellow River is the vigorous force that rushes from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and it is also the nostalgia that is lifted up in the hand. The Yellow River is the mother river in everyone's heart. "I grew up snacking on the yellow river and never left the yellow river, just like a child will never betray his mother." Zhang Fei said, "Sometimes standing on the embankment and looking at the rushing Yellow River, I think, in front of nature, people are so small, we can never conquer the Yellow River, my greatest wish, the goal of my work, is to strive to make people harmonious and endless." ”
Source: China Youth Network