Chapter 63 62. Gu Wenchang - Overcoming Sandstorms and Governing for the People

Gu Wenchang (October 1915-January 1981), formerly known as Cheng Shuan, was born in Guojiazhuang, Shibanyan Township, Lin County, Henan Province.When he was young, he fled famine and begged for money. When he grew up, he worked as a long-term worker and learned how to hit rocks. In March 1943, he joined the Communist Party of China and served as the mayor and secretary of the district committee. In January 1949, he went south with the army. Dongshan was liberated on May 12, 1950.Gu Wenchang served as Secretary of the Working Committee of the First District of Dongshan County of the Communist Party of China, and later successively served as the organization minister, county magistrate, secretary of the county party committee of the Dongshan County Working Committee of the Communist Party of China (hereinafter referred to as the county committee), deputy director of the Forestry Department of Fujian Province, and deputy director of the Revolutionary Committee of Longxi District , Deputy Commissioner of Longxi Administrative Office.

In the southeast of Dongshan Island, there used to be more than 35,000 mu of deserted sandy beaches. When the wind blows, flying sand invades the village.Devour the countryside.For thousands of years, the people of Dongshan have been overwhelmed by wind, sand, drought and waterlogging.There is a folk song like this: "Drought in spring and summer, sandstorm in autumn and winter. There are disasters in all seasons of the year." The duration of strong winds above grade 6 lasted for more than 150 days, and the forest coverage rate on the island's 194 square kilometers of land was only 0.12%.In the nearly 100 years before liberation, wind and sand engulfed 13 villages, more than 1,000 houses, and more than 30,000 mu of cultivated land. In 1949, there were more than 60,000 people on the island, 2,000 of whom died of smallpox, and one-tenth of them went out to work as coolies or beggars.There are more than 900 people in Shankou Village, which is located in Fengkou, and there are more than 600 beggars.Among the 1,600 people in Shankou and Hutang villages, more than 400 people suffered from pink eye disease and rotten eye disease due to sandstorms, and more than 90 people were blind or partially blind.There are more than 30 kilometers of sandy beaches stretching across the southeast of the island. It is a vast expanse, with no grass growing. There are also more than 40 mobile sand dunes, and the sand is constantly pushing towards people with the wind.Arita cannot be planted, and if it is planted, there will be no harvest.The food stockpile is empty, vegetables are boiled in the pot, and there is a shortage of food and cooking throughout the year. Many people support the old and the young, go out to beg with empty baskets and broken bowls, and take a boat across the sea to cut grass and firewood on the mainland.

Faced with the people suffering from many disasters, Gu Wenchang shed tears, couldn't eat well, couldn't sleep well, and dreamed of defeating the wind and sand, eradicating drought and flood, so that the people could live a better life.Gu Wenchang braved the wind and sand, and went from village to household to learn about people's conditions.The common people do not have enough to eat, wear warm clothes, have no firewood, and have no water to drink, like a huge stone pressing on his heart.He secretly made up his mind to change the poverty of Dongshan.He devoted himself to leading the cadres and the masses to dig wells, repair canals, build reservoirs, and actively organize production to save themselves.

In the spring of 1958, the county party committee issued a call to the whole county: "Go up to the Bald Mountain, go down to the Flying Beach, green the whole island, and build a new Dongshan!" Plant 200,000 casuarina trees.Unexpectedly, the temperature dropped sharply, and it was cold for a month, and most of the saplings froze to death.Gu Wenchang organized an afforestation experiment team composed of leading cadres, forestry technicians and veteran farmers, and he personally served as the team leader. In the summer of 1960, the county set off a vigorous and solid national afforestation movement.By 1964, 82,000 mu of forest had been afforested, more than 400 small hills and more than 3 mu of barren beaches in the county were basically greened, and the "Green Great Wall" was built along the 141-kilometer coastline.Gu Wenchang also mobilized the masses to dig ponds and wells, build reservoirs, and develop and utilize groundwater resources, which alleviated the drought in Dongshan.

In July 1970, Gu Wenchang was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the Longpi Reservoir. Together with the migrant workers, he lived and ate at the construction site.After a year of hard work, the reservoir was built, and the people of Hekou ended the era of water and electricity shortage. For more than 30 years, the reservoir has played a major role in flood control, drought resistance, power generation, changing the ecological environment, and drinking water for the masses. People still remember him so far. In 1972, Gu Wenchang served as the forestry bureau chief in Longxi area.He returned to Dongshan and walked into the home of Cai Haifu, a model afforestation model.From the 1950s to the 1960s, Cai Haifu personally planted countless trees.In order to protect the forest, he patrolled the forest with a flashlight all night, no matter it was windy, rainy or freezing.

Gu Wenchang has dealt with forestry for most of his life, and never touched an inch of wood from the public house.Back to Zhangzhou from Fuzhou, my wife asked if I should buy some furniture?Gu Wenchang bought bamboo stools, wicker chairs, and stone dining tables. "Why don't you get some wooden ones?" his wife asked him.Gu Wenchang said: "The director of the forestry bureau suddenly added wooden furniture, and outsiders would misunderstand, and we couldn't write a statement and post it: it was bought." He often educated his family and children: "It depends on what the people wear What, what are you eating, you can't forget your hunger once you are full!"

Gu Wenchang has always strictly demanded himself and his family and children not to be special and not to use power for personal gain.Many people praised him as a person who "always thinks about the masses and forgets himself", "does good deeds all his life, never does bad things, consistently benefits the masses, consistently benefits the youth, consistently benefits the revolution, and works hard Decades are like a day", a very noble person. On January 30, 1981, Gu Wenchang became ill due to overwork and passed away.When his life was coming to an end, he was worried about Dongshan's green business.

In 1981, Xiang Nan, then Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, looked at Dongshan and said excitedly: "The construction of four modernizations requires such good cadres." When he heard that Gu Wenchang was critically ill, he rushed to Zhangzhou to visit him overnight in the rain. .After Gu Wenchang passed away, he suggested that "Fujian Daily" publish the news on the front page, and personally changed the title to "Comrade Gu Wenchang, who benefited the people of Dongshan, passed away." In 1999, all walks of life in the county donated money to build the Gu Wenchang Deeds Exhibition Hall and Gu Wenchang Park.Workers, peasants, soldiers of the People's Liberation Army, and students often come here to visit and pay respects with reverence. Young pioneers come here to celebrate the team day.Many people said emotionally: "Although the times are different today, the purpose of serving the people must not be forgotten, and the spirit of hard work must not be lost!"

In April 2001, the Provincial Forestry Department held an on-site meeting in Dongshan, hailed Gu Wenchang as a "model forestry person" and called on forestry workers in the whole province to learn from him. Monuments are forged by career and people's hearts.A person who loves the people is bound to be loved by the people.Gu Wenchang's spirit and performance clearly and vividly answered the historical topic of a Communist Party member, "why did you join the party, what do you do as a cadre, and what do you leave behind?"It also explained to us that only when Communists always represent the development requirements of advanced productive forces, represent the direction of advanced culture, and represent the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people, can they win the love of the people.