Relocation is only for the good of the motherland
2024-08-19
한어Русский языкEnglishFrançaisIndonesianSanskrit日本語DeutschPortuguêsΕλληνικάespañolItalianoSuomalainenLatina
Visitors learn about the history of herders’ relocation.
On the way to relocation (file photo). Photo by our reporter Wei YaqiOur reporter Niu Yujiao
In August, the breeze gently caresses the vast Jinyintan grassland, and geraniums and amaranths bloom wantonly under the blue sky and white clouds. People wander in the beautiful distance in the song, linger beside the blast wall and semi-shelter workshop, looking back at the mysterious, glorious and passionate years of China's first nuclear weapons research base.
Among them, there was a group of people who put the interests of the whole community above their own, and through a difficult relocation, they created the even more glorious and splendid Jinyintan.
Back in March 1958, the Soviet Union sent a group of experts to China to jointly select the site for the Northwest Nuclear Weapons Research and Development Base with Chinese experts. At that time, four sites were prepared for the base selection. The preliminary results of the research tended to favor the Zhangye area in Gansu Province, but after a field investigation, the Chinese and Soviet experts felt that it was not ideal.
Gao Feng, then the first secretary of the Qinghai Provincial Party Committee, said to the experts: "Why don't you go to Qinghai? We have a place in Qinghai that is very open, called Jinyintan, which can accommodate as many factories as you want."
Afterwards, the site selection team went to Qinghai for an investigation. When the expert group arrived at Jinyintan in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, they found that the area was surrounded by mountains, had abundant water resources, was sparsely populated, and was conducive to confidentiality, making it very suitable for establishing a nuclear weapons research and development base. In July 1958, Deng Xiaoping, on behalf of the Party Central Committee, approved the site selection report for the nuclear weapons project submitted by the Second Ministry of Machine Building, code-named Project 02, also known as "Base 221".
Therefore, in October 1958, a mysterious and arduous "relocation" task was urgently issued: "Due to the needs of national construction, all herders on the Jinyintang grassland must move away." From then on, the thousands of years of silence of this grassland was broken, and it was closely linked to the peace and tranquility of the Republic.
Xiarong Gabu, the first governor of Haibei Prefecture at the time, knew very well that the herdsmen who had lived there for generations were reluctant to leave their homeland, but national construction was more important, and he had to complete the task given to him.
During the Korean War, he mobilized the masses and monks to donate money to purchase fighter jets to support the front lines, and he accomplished it; he escorted the 10th Panchen Lama back to Tibet safely, and he accomplished it; this time, he mobilized more than 6,700 people from 1,279 households, including his own family, to complete the relocation in a short period of time, and he also wanted to do it, and he must do it.
Xiarong Gabu knew that it had already started snowing in the grasslands in October, and the relocation journey would be very difficult with wind and snow all the way. However, the national defense construction had to be kept secret, so he could not reveal the real reason for the relocation to everyone. He could only lead by example, first dismantling his own tent, then mobilizing his mother and sister to do the same, and then visiting every herdsman and telling them: "Only when the new China is good can life be better."
“Only when the new China is better can life be better.”
The herdsmen who suffered greatly in old China know in their hearts that it was the Communist Party of China that allowed them to have their own pastures and cattle and sheep. Although they cannot express any profound principles, gratitude is the character of the children of the grassland.
Thus, the miracle of relocation happened. More than 6,000 herders from more than 1,000 households in Jinyintan drove more than 150,000 livestock and prepared to leave their pastures in the vast sea of snow without asking for any conditions.
80-year-old Nan Bao is one of the people who witnessed the relocation. He was only 14 years old at the time, but he still remembers the relocation process vividly.
He often told his granddaughter Dorje Dolma: "After receiving the relocation order, we didn't have time to eat the food in the stove or take away the Tibetan mastiff at the door. Our family moved to Dayu Village, Yeniugou Township, Qilian County. The journey was long and many livestock died on the way. It was extremely difficult."
There was no time to feel sad or say goodbye. Everyone left home, old and young, and rushed to the new resettlement sites. The farthest site was more than 500 kilometers away, and the closest was more than 100 kilometers away.
The journey was long, with steep mountains and deep ravines. After crossing the snow-capped mountains, one had to cross the river. One had to let the livestock graze while walking. In Nanbao's memory, he walked non-stop every day. In the temperature of more than 20 degrees below zero, the road was covered with thick snow, which was exactly in line with the saying: "When the sky and the earth are mixed, there are holes wherever you walk."
The grassland was covered with snow. There was no cow dung to be picked up, so the only way to keep warm was to burn tent poles and saddles. At night, without tents, the herders wrapped themselves in fur coats and huddled on felts, sleeping in the snow. Most people had their hands and feet frozen, and both adults and children suffered from snow blindness. Many people fell ill on the way to migrate, and some women even gave birth to babies on the way. However, it was difficult for newborns to survive in the harsh environment, and their young lives were forever frozen on the way to relocation. Even cattle and sheep died in large numbers on the way due to hunger and fatigue. When they arrived at the new pasture a few months later, many people had almost nothing.
In February 1959, more than 6,700 Mongolian, Tibetan, Hui and Han herdsmen from 1,279 households and 155,473 heads of livestock finally arrived at new resettlement sites in Qilian County, Gangcha County and other places, and they settled down on the new pastures.
In 1993, the 221 base completed its historical mission and was officially retired. Under the caring care of the Party Central Committee, many herdsmen moved back to their homeland after more than 30 years. They finally learned that after their families moved away, the vast number of scientific and technological workers successfully developed my country's first atomic bomb and hydrogen bomb on the Jinyintang grassland, enhancing the national and military prestige.
Nan Bao said: "The relocation was a huge sacrifice, but we followed the Party's call and moved without hesitation. Only when the motherland is well can we be well. Now we live a good life and are very proud of it."
Although this epic relocation was arduous, those who witnessed it felt that everything they did was justified. They made great contributions to the country with simple and sincere feelings, giving silently and without regrets.
In 2002, Nan Bao and his family returned to Xihai Town, Haibei Prefecture. His children had grown up and his grandchildren were of school age. In order to give back to Qilian County and his hometown Xihai Town, he donated 50 and 100 sheep to the primary schools in the two places respectively, expressing his simple patriotic feelings, which deeply touched his family.
Today, Nanbao’s granddaughter Dorje Dolma has become a lecturer at the Qinghai Province Two Bombs and One Satellite Cadre College. She often tells the “relocation stories” of her elders, infecting batches of students.
Dorje Dolma said: "As a 'third generation of migrants', every time I talk about the story of migration, my eyes fill with tears. Our ancestors taught us with practical actions to maintain ethnic unity and make more contributions to our hometown. I will shine in my position and give back to my hometown with actions."
Qinghai Daily (August 19, 2024, Page 3: Domestic News)
Statement: Except for the articles with source indication, the above content are all original articles of Qinghai Daily. Any reproduction without written permission is strictly prohibited!
