Since 2002, villagers have witnessed the inseparable duo of two uncles traveling together to plant trees as the morning smoke rises. Along the one-kilometer path from Shijiazhuang village to the riverbank, Jia Haixia, who lost sight, holds onto Jia Wenqi’s empty sleeve as they slowly make their way.
These two uncles are Jia Haixia and Jia Wenqi. They hail from Yeli Village in Jingxing County, Shijiazhuang. Jia Haixia was born with congenital cataracts in his left eye, leading to blindness from a young age, and later lost sight in his right eye due to a work accident. Initially, Jia Haixia was engulfed in deep fear and even contemplated suicide.
In the days without light, he dared not venture anywhere. His wife and children encouraged him to go out more instead of staying home all the time, but sometimes, he would lose his temper: “I’m a useless person. Where can I go? I need someone to lead me everywhere, so I won’t go anywhere.” Over time, his spirit waned, and he aged significantly.
Jia Wenqi, on the other hand, lost both arms due to an electric shock as a child. He was determined and refused to give up. Without hands, he needed his parents’ help, and classmates mocked him. This motivated him to become independent, proving he could manage without his hands. Simple tasks like dressing and washing his face required him to practice using his feet, and eventually, he succeeded, no longer a subject of ridicule. “When faced with difficulties, find a way to solve them; otherwise, everything will seem difficult,” he often encouraged himself with this mantra.
Upon learning about Jia Haixia’s depression after losing his sight, Jia Wenqi visited him to offer guidance based on his own experiences. Having worked as a forester, Jia Wenqi had some knowledge of tree planting. He suggested they collaborate on planting trees, which could be sold to sustain their livelihood once matured. In 2001, they decided to lease over 50 acres of unused riverbank land from the village for tree planting.
After signing a contract with village officials, every morning, Jia Haixia, unable to see the road, would hold onto Jia Wenqi’s sleeve as they headed to their leased land to plant trees. When crossing the river, Jia Haixia would help Jia Wenqi roll up his pants, and Jia Wenqi would carry Jia Haixia across. To save money on saplings, Jia Wenqi would carry Jia Haixia on his shoulders to cut small branches from large trees to use as saplings.
With saplings in hand, the two worked together to plant them. Jia Wenqi would guide Jia Haixia to find the right spot to dig a hole, then use his mouth to place the branch in the hole, and with his head and shoulders, he would “support” the sapling while Jia Haixia covered it with soil. Without hands, Jia Wenqi used his toes to control the water bucket to water the saplings, while Jia Haixia, unable to see, would feel around to ensure the saplings stood upright.
Due to water shortages, their hard work transplanting 800 saplings in the first year resulted in only two surviving. Under the guidance of experienced forestry workers, they switched from regular poplars to fast-growing poplars, which were more resilient and more straightforward to cultivate. With unimaginable perseverance, they dug a channel to divert river water to the riverbank and found an effective method for drawing water. Jia Wenqi tied a rope to the bucket handle and threw it into the river. After filling it with water, he bit the rope to pull it ashore. Jia Haixia would then take the bucket and, following Jia Wenqi’s instructions, accurately water the saplings.
The two planted over 10,000 trees
From 2002 to 2014, for over a decade, Jia Haixia and Jia Wenqi planted more than 10,000 trees, transforming over 50 acres of barren riverbank into a lush forest, achieving their initial goal of covering the barren land with trees. In 2014, local villagers shared their story online, causing a sensation and attracting media attention. They became “famous,” with professional forestry personnel providing them with free scientific guidance, donors purchasing water pumps for irrigation, and the government granting them disability subsidies and social security, alleviating their worries about old age.
Unfortunately, in the summer of 2016, a flood destroyed all the trees they had planted on the riverbank. Years of perseverance were wiped out in an instant. After the flood receded, the two sat by the river with reddened eyes, speechless. Initially, they considered starting over, but by then, they were older. Jia Wenqi found it challenging to carry Jia Haixia across the river, and Jia Haixia could no longer climb trees as before. In 2017, they decided to part ways, realizing they could no longer collaborate as they once did.
After separating, Jia Wenqi attended lectures across different places, learning about other economic tree species with shorter growth cycles and higher survival rates than fast-growing poplars. Upon returning to the village, he led a group of relatively younger, solitary elderly people to lease the village’s barren hills, embarking on a new tree-planting venture. He aimed to empower these elderly individuals to sustain themselves while fulfilling his wish to green the barren hills.
They planted short-cycle eucalyptus trees on the hilltops and apple trees on the slopes to prevent soil erosion and generate income from apple sales. They also planted camphor trees at the foot for local environmental greening, maximizing land value and utilizing their abilities.
Meanwhile, Jia Haixia continued planting trees, following their previous model, leading other villagers to plant fast-growing poplars on better land. Their tree-planting efforts became more manageable and successful with tools and professional guidance.
Both have chosen different methods to green the environment today while achieving economic benefits. Inspired by their efforts, villagers have gradually joined related industries, utilizing idle manpower and increasing income.
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