From 1969 to 1975, Xi Jinping lived in Liangjiahe, a small village in China's Shaanxi Province as an "educated youth." In the village, Xi joined the Communist Party of China and was elected Party branch secretary. The following is an excerpt from LIANGJIAHE VILLAGE：A STORY OF CHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING, published by FOREIGN LANGUAGES PRESS in 2018.
Deep in his heart, Xi Jinping always considers himself a native of Yan'an.
He recalls, "My rural assignment was a landmark moment in my life. It redirected and purified me, a rebirth for me. If I have gained any true knowledge, any maturity or success, or any familiarity with the real lives of ordinary people, I acquired all of this from that place."
On August 14, 2004, in an interview with the Yan'an Broadcasting and TV Station for a program titled I'm a Native of Yan'an, Xi, then Party secretary of the CPC Committee of Zhejiang Province, said this about his rural placement at Yan'an, "The Northern Shaanxi Plateau instilled a conviction in me, and determined the path of the rest of my life. The life lessons I learned there determined what I would do in future and taught me what to do."
When answering the question whether he regarded himself as a true native of Yan'an, Xi said readily, "Yes, I do. Yan'an has functioned as a starting point in my life. Many of my fundamental views and characteristics were formed in Yan'an. I always consider myself a native of Yan'an."
Xi Jinping at an exclusive interview with the Yan'an Broadcasting and TV Station, August 14, 2004
Through the television camera, while recollecting his experience during his rural placement, Xi said to the villagers at Liangjiahe, very emotionally, "I sincerely wish for a Liangjiahe where everybody lives a better and happier life. The village of Liangjiahe is actually a microcosm of the whole Yan'an region. I wish for and expect great changes in Yan'an. Indeed, as I know such changes are already happening. The changes may have been happening quietly, but the results are resounding. I'm confident that in the foreseeable future, the people of Yan'an will lead happier and prosperous lives."
"My roots in Shaanxi, my soul in Yan'an"
When deliberating the central government report on its work in 2008 at the Shaanxi delegation, Xi Jinping, then member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice president of China, said, "I went [to Liangjiahe] in January 1969 and left there in October 1975. My time there marked a turning point in my life. In a large sense, I feel my roots in Shaanxi and my soul in Yan'an. Every event from that time remains fresh in my mind. Many of my ideas and actions originated there. My feelings are perfectly reflected in poet He Jingzhi's lines: 'In my dreams, countless times, I return to Yan'an."'
Using his own experiences, he encouraged youth to hone solid skills
When meeting with representatives of outstanding youth at the Aeronautic Technology Institute of the China Aeronautic Science and Technology Corporation on May 4, 2013, Xi said, "Since my rural placement, I set a motto and principle for myself — start everything with self-cultivation. I felt deep shame about ignorance of any kind and thirsted for knowledge. When herding sheep on hills, I always brought with me a book to read. When tilling land to the end of a plot, we would take a break. Then I would take out my Xinhua Dictionary of Chinese Characters trying to memorize multiple meanings of the same word. Bit by bit, I strove to accumulate my knowledge on Chinese characters. In my view, my seven years during rural placement didn't go wasted. A solid foundation for my fundamental knowledge was built then. Circumstances for learning are so much better now. It simply makes more sense now to learn more skills and seek greater capabilities."
His dedication to the people originated from Liangjiahe
On October 21, 2015, during a visit to the UK, at an evening banquet hosted by the mayor of the City of London, Xi thus recalled his days at Liangjiahe: "Before the age of 16, I went to a small humble village in Northern Shaanxi, to be a rural worker. Seven years of my youth remain there. The young version of me, toiling on that dusty barren land, repeatedly pondered the proverbial question, 'To be or not to be...' My final conclusion: Dedication of myself to the people is the only way to be."
Liangjiahe is a microcosm of social development in China
On September 22, 2015, at a reception banquet jointly hosted by the Washington state government and local communities, Xi again brought up Liangjiahe: "In the late 1960s, in my teens, I was assigned to a small rural village called Liangjiahe in Yan'an City in northern China, to work as a farmer. Seven years of my youth were spent there. Like all villagers there, I lived in cave dwellings, slept on earthen beds. So austere was life there, we often tasted no meat for months on end. I got to learn, unerringly, what villagers needed. After I became the Party secretary of the village, I led the villagers to eke more food out of their impoverished land. Yes, I got to learn, deeply and clearly, what villagers needed. I strived for one thing- sufficient meals with meat for the villagers, not just for one day, but all year round. Yet, how hard, how very hard it was, at that time, to materialize that humble wish and vision for the village.
"During Spring Festival this year, I returned to that village. I saw smoothly paved roadways there. The villagers now live in brick-laid houses. They now have internet access. Seniors have secure pensions. Medical insurance is guaranteed for villagers. Young children receive a good education. Of course, meat on their plates is no longer an issue. My visit there has deeply taught me that the Chinese Dream is the dream of the Chinese people. This dream of ours, to be truly realized, must be tied to people's wishes for better and happier lives.
Xi Jinping delivering a speech in the City of Seattle, in the USA, September 22, 2015
"The small village of Liangjiahe is a microcosm of the social progress in China after adoption of reform and opening up. We spent 30 years transforming China into the second largest economy in the world. The Chinese population of 1.3 billion are now free of material want. On a large scale, life in China is now one of relative abundance. Chinese people now enjoy unprecedented rights and dignity. These changes symbolize both rapid progress in China and the world, and China's great contribution to world peace and prosperity."
Those words of Xi were words of concern, but also words of hope and pride. He holds a place deep in his heart for the village. Liangjiahe purified and redirected his spirit and cemented his dedication for better and happier lives for the Chinese people. Unforgettable in his heart is the village of Liangjiahe, the magical land of Northern Shaanxi, the onetime harsh austerities borne by the villagers, and more so, his sense of confidence, dedication and responsibility in and for the people!
