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on the pamir plateau, there is a place called khunjerab. the average altitude here is over 4,500 meters, the oxygen content is less than half of that in the plains, and the wind force is above level 7 or 8 all year round. the family of bayika kailidibek, a former border guard in tiznapu township, taxkorgan tajik autonomous county, kashgar, xinjiang, has guarded the border for three generations, serving as guides for the khunjerab border defense company, pointing the way for officers and soldiers in the life-forbidden zone.

in december 1949, the hongqilapu border defense company was just established and was about to carry out border patrol missions. the patrol destination was wufulanggou, known as the "valley of death". on the way, they had to cross eight snow-capped mountain passes with an altitude of more than 5,000 meters, and cross more than 80 tank trenches.

without an experienced guide, the patrol team would have difficulty making any progress. just when the border defense company was worried, the tajik herdsman kailidibek dilidar arrived. in the following 23 years, kailidibek dilidar served as a guide and walked with the border guards to every boundary marker, every river, and every ravine on the khunjerab border. in august 1972, kailidibek dilidar took his son bayika kailidibek for the last walk through wufulanggou, and then handed the guide baton to his son.

since then, bayika kailidibiek has kept his father's instructions in mind and served as a guide for border guards for 37 years. from youth to old age, he has patrolled more than 700 times, helping border guards to turn danger into safety time and time again, and is regarded as a "living map" by the guards.

in his 37 years, bayika kailidibiek has encountered countless emergencies and dangers. in 1997, the water level of the tiznapu river surged, and bayika kailidibiek was knocked off the back of his yak by a big wave and fell on a big rock. he was injured and recovered three months later. in 1999, he encountered a rare snowstorm and his legs were frostbitten in the cold wind of minus 30 degrees celsius. the military doctor took great pains to save his legs... but he has always insisted on patrolling and protecting the border: "patrolling is the country's business and the responsibility of herders. without the country's boundary markers, where can we have our cattle and sheep?"

in june 1998, bayika kailidibieke gloriously joined the communist party of china. he firmly said: "i am willing to guard the border of the motherland forever with the border guards."

in 2004, bayika kailidibiek's son, razini bayika, was demobilized from the army and returned to his hometown. the father and son set out on the road to patrol wufulanggou together. bayika kailidibiek introduced every signpost, every dangerous peak, and every rapids in detail to his son. what he urged most was to protect the safety of the officers and soldiers and the safety of the border. five years later, bayika kailidibiek handed the baton to his son.

in 2018, razini bayika was elected as a deputy to the 13th national people's congress. on january 4, 2021, razini bayika, who was attending a special training course for npc deputies at kashgar university, risked his life to rescue a child who accidentally fell into an icy lake. his life was frozen at the age of 41. "i am very sad to lose my son. but he sacrificed his life to save others, and i am proud of him," said bayika kailidibek.

in july 2021, a severe rainstorm hit zhengzhou, henan province. bayika kailidibiek was concerned about the people affected by the disaster and donated 200,000 yuan in the name of his son razini bayika. "if razini were still alive, he would definitely do the same," bayika kailidibiek said.

on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of new china, bayika kailidibiek was awarded the national honorary title of "people's defender".

people's daily (page 04, september 23, 2024)