I oppose - the political career legend of a NPC delegate

Author: Zhu Ling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-11-09
Features: Yao Lifu, male, born in 1958, staff member of Qianjiang Experimental Primary School. Starting in 1987, he broke the unwritten rule of internal appointment among local representatives and began to run for the position of Qianjiang City People's Congress representative as an ordinary citizen. In 13 years, across three election cycles, he faced numerous hardships and setbacks but persisted, finally being elected as the fourth representative of Qianjiang City in 1999—few have succeeded in running for office as a non-formal candidate. During his tenure as a representative, he submitted 187 suggestions, opinions, and critiques to the government and courts, conducted countless inspections and researches to advocate for the people, and his footsteps Qianjiang's cities and villages, earning the affectionate title "Representative Yao" from the public. Yao Lifu is a democratic warrior who challenges the old order.
—Commentary by The Washington Post
He is striving to fully exercise all powers granted to people's representatives by the constitution and laws.
—Commentary by Nanfangfang
The story of Yao Lifu will continue to be discussed by the public, as he has become a symbol and a representation of social progress in grassroots democratic elections in China.
—Commentary by Southern Daily
Yao Lifu loves to nitpick, rigidly adheres to legal provisions, has selfish motives, and wants to gain fame!
—A Deputy Director of Qianjiang City Civil Affairs Bureau
Yao Lifu's motives are impure!
—A Secretary-General of Qianjiang City Government
Representative Yao is not the kind of representative who sits on the toilet without doing his job. We are at ease!
—A Voter in Qianjiang City Education Election District
He broke his nose and became a backbone. Yao Lifu devoted himself wholeheartedly to Chinese democracy.
—Netizen "Yao Lifu Phenomenon" on
Essentially, the "Yao Lifu Phenomenon" is a conflict between the awakening of grassroots democratic consciousness and the ruling level.
—A Staff Member of Hunan Provincial People's Congress
A representative of grassroots democracy in China—Yao Lifu—his actions tell people that everyone has inherent rights, and only action can change survival.
In 2003, he received the title "25 Most Reform-Oriented Rural Reform Figures in the New Era of China." In 2004, he was named the annual public welfare figure of the《》magazine and became a news figure widely reported by hundreds of domestic and international media. For 12 years of arduous self-nomination campaigns, he repeatedly spoke out with "I oppose" in the People's Congress meetings, actively reported to voters, demanded to be a full-time representative, and opposed the retirement of the head of the People's Congress. He insisted on being a representative for the people, supervising the government, and speaking without compromise. A common primary school teacher became the "Yao Lifu Phenomenon," a sensation in China and even the world. This book tells the story of a "alternative representative" with a legendary political journey: he self-nominated for 12 consecutive years, never giving up despite repeated failures; he boldly shouted "I oppose" in the People's Congress meetings, representing the people and supervising the government without hesitation; he made friends with the poor, actively reported to voters, and demanded to be a full-time representative, opposing the retirement of the head of the People's Congress. A primary school teacher became a clear thread in the development of grassroots democracy in contemporary China.