In a remote mountainous county of Laifeng in central China's Hubei province, Zhang Fuqing has toiled for nearly six decades.

He was a soldier of Brigade 359 of the Northwest Field Army, one of the main forces of the Chinese People's Liberation Army during the Liberation War between 1945 and 1949, honored several times for performing meritorious deeds. Twice he had been given the honorary title of Combat Hero.

During his retirement time in 1955, Zhang chose a poor area to work instead of returning to his hometown in Shaanxi province. 

Among those available then, he learned that the place with the hardest living conditions in Hubei province was Enshi, and the most remote place in Enshi was Laifeng. Without saying anything, Zhang chose Laifeng as the place to work. His wife Sun Yulan also followed him. 

Since then, the couple seldom returned to their hometown in Shaanxi province in northwest China. 

Then Zhang dedicated his life to the people there, holding posts ranging from community-level government official to deputy manager of a local bank.

In the past, one of their children's teacher, Xiang Zhichun, often visited Zhang's home. He recalled, "Zhang children's clothes were always not as good than other students. I ate at his place and found that they ate poorly and rarely had meat."

Zhang's left leg was amputated over eight years ago because of an illness, but he stood up again on his prosthesis.

He said that he does not want to be a burden for others, and wants his children to work wholeheartedly for the Party and the people.

Zhang and his wife, together with their disabled eldest daughter, live in an old, two-bedroom house built in the 1980s. Their home is kept tidy and clean, but the simple decorations and furniture remained the same as they were decades ago. 

His political beliefs in serving the people supported his resolve during the war and in peacetime, but he was indifferent to fame and wealth. Even his relatives knew little of his war bravery.

In November 2018 in hospital, Zhang was asked by a doctor to use lenses of around 7,000 yuan which is about the mid-range price of that kind of products. Unexpectedly, the old man picked up similar lenses worth about 3,000 yuan. 

Local banker Li Ganlin did not expect to pay back Zhang so little as the old man could get much more in normal work. "When I got the reimbursement form, I was taken aback and asked the old man what was going on," said Li.

The elderly replied, "I am over 90 years old now, and can’t do anything to contribute more to the country. I chose to use the cheapest lenses. If I can save a little bit for the country, let me do that!"

For more than 60 years, he deliberately kept his past achievements a secret, even from his children. 

It was only late 2018 when Zhang's war story finally emerged to the public. Authorities were collecting and recording veterans' information in preparation for the upcoming 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

But he kept telling his admirers that he did not deserve special recognition for his achievements.

In a written instruction released in May 2019, Party leader Xi Jinping praised the spirit and dedication of the then 95-year-old war hero.

Zhang lives a life of simplicity, purity and indifference to fame and fortune; as the soldier he defended the country; as a civilian, he works for the people's well-being, Xi said.

Soon Zhang added another honor. In July 2019 the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China bestowed the title of "national outstanding CPC member" upon him.