My 1998

Author: He Jiaqing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: The legendary journey of a university teacher walking through eight provinces in China to rescue 20,000 impoverished farmers. Everything is in "My 1998" – He Jiaqing's Westward Diary! On February 19, 1998, Anhui University teacher He Jiaqing embarked on a path of science and technology-assisted poverty alleviation, carrying with him over 29 million yuan he had saved over 14 years. He traveled for 305 days, covering a distance of 31,600 kilometers, of which 8,000 kilometers were on foot. He passed through eight provinces, 108 counties, and taught technology to taro farmers and taro enterprises in taro cultivation areas. He Jiaqing recorded his observations, experiences, thoughts, joys, sorrows, and reflections on his poverty alleviation journey in the form of a diary. The 190,000-character Westward Diary documents his emotions—teaching taro farmers in the fields and fields was joy; the stubborn refusal of ignorant and derelict officials deprived farmers of the opportunity to master technology was anger; technology within reach could not serve farmers was sorrow; farmers mastering technology was happiness; an extremely weakened body could not sustain future work was grief; natural disasters, hunger, cold, illness, starvation, and snake bites were fear; and the main human trials—insults, difficulties, robbery, and detention were shock. This diary integrates political, ideological, literary, and legendary elements, reflecting the beauty and ugliness, good and evil coexisting in today's society, the survival conditions of dominant and groups, and the courage and thoughts of an intellectual in rescuing the underprivileged.