Agricultural modernization: Past and now

21:50, October 01, 2021

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  Moments of the week (9/27-10/3)

  A flag-raising ceremony is held in celebration of the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, on Oct 1, 2021. (Photo: China Daily)People take a selfie in front of a flowerbed in Beijing, Oct 1, 2021. (Photo: Xinhua)China's Bayi Aerobatic Team performs during the opening ceremony of the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, or Airshow China 2021, in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, on Sept 28, 2021. (Photo: Xinhua)The Eiffel Tower is lightened in pink to mark the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to raise awareness about the impact of breast cancer, in Paris on Oct 1, 2021. (Photo: AFP)Volunteers carry parts of a bone sculpture to set up outside the home of Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel to demand global vaccine equity on Wednesday, Sept 29, 2021 in Boston. (Photo: AP)People struggle with rain and strong wind as Typhoon Mindulle travels off the coast of Japan Friday, Oct 1, 2021, in Tokyo. (Photo: CFP)A virtual host kicks off the 2021 China Science Fiction Convention at the opening ceremony at Beijing's Shougang Industrial Park on Sept 28, 2021. (Photo: China Daily)Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Dubai Expo 2020, on Sept 30, 2021. Dubai opened its extravagant Expo 2020 with a flashy ceremony boasting fireworks and lights displays as it attempts to woo the world despite the pandemic. (Photo: AFP)As autumn comes, the leaves gradually turn cardinal red at the Red Leaves Valley in Jiaohe City, Jilin Province, providing tourists with stunning scenery. (Photo: chinadaily.com.cn)This picture taken on Sept 27, 2021, shows umbrellas hung for decoration purposes on Konur Street the busiest street in the Cankaya District in Ankara. (Photo: AFP)

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  Building a better life with his bare hands

  Porter (or “bangbang” in Chinese) Ran Guanghui, carrying over 50 kilograms of goods on his shoulders, holds his three-year-old son and walks down the stairs in China’s Chongqing Municipality in 2010. The photo went viral on the Internet at that time. Netizens said that Ran is putting “life on his shoulders and the future in his hands”. (Photos: Xinhua, script written by Dong Xiaojing)The photo shows Ran was cooking in a shabby rented bungalow, where his son had to borrow the kitchen’s light and space to do his homework.In 2009, to provide a better life for the family, farmer Ran made a decision and moved his whole family to Chongqing. He became a full-time “bangbang” in his 40s.Ran showed his rough hands with hard calluses and deformed finger joints, a result of dragging heavy deliveries. Ran worked desperately despite the burden. He spent almost 350 days a year to deliver goods no matter how bad the weather is. He didn't sleep for 24 hours in the hardest time.Ran shoulders heavy loads ranging from food to household appliances and furniture up multiple flights of stairs. Ran said he did not feel much suffering, as he achieved his goal by his own “shoulders.”Ran and his grown son in a bright new house. Ran’s diligence and integrity gained him a firm foothold both in his business and in the city. In 2016, Ran was able to buy an apartment with a mortgage in Chongqing’s city center, located close to the Chaotianmen area where he worked. Ran said he chooses to stay the course as a bangbang as long as he has the strength.

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  Group wedding held in China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center

  A group wedding for 120 couples working for China’s space program was held on October 2 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, one of China’s rocket and satellite launch centers, in Northwest China's Gansu Province. (Photos: People's Daily; Compiled by Lv Xingke)A group wedding for 120 couples working for China’s space program was held on October 2 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, one of China’s rocket and satellite launch centers, in Northwest China's Gansu Province.The Shenzhou-12 crew—Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo—had recorded a blessing video before then in space: “We’re so glad to hear of your wedding. Congratulations on your marriage! We send you best wishes from China’s space station and wish you a harmonious union of joy and complete happiness.”The Shenzhou-12 crew—Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo—had recorded a blessing video before then in space: “We’re so glad to hear of your wedding. Congratulations on your marriage! We send you best wishes from China’s space station and wish you a harmonious union of joy and complete happiness.”For ten consecutive years, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center has held group wedding ceremonies for over 950 couples working in China’s space industry.

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  Glimpse of China past and present