[Explanation] "Life is endless, and sand control is endless!" This is an oath made by an ordinary Chinese old man to the long yellow sand more than 20 years ago. Her name is Gerile.

Recently, she made a special trip back to her hometown in Horqin Zuoyihou Banner, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and was interviewed by reporters outside the hut built more than 20 years ago.

　　[Explanation] In 1998, Gerile was 66 years old.

In China, an old man at this age should lead a leisurely retirement life, but Gerile and his wife made a decision that all family members opposed: planting trees in the sand.

　　[Concurrent period] Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Horqin Zuoyihou Banner Voluntary Tree Planting Personality Day Le

　　After retiring (coming back), I saw my hometown. When my hometown and I left, the ecology has changed and different. Seeing that people are required to get out of the sand, I look anxious.

I thought about changing the face of my hometown.

If you don't change (if), seeing the lives of the masses won't work.

　　[Explanation] The place where Elder Gerile plans to plant trees is called "Baiyin Mangha" in Mongolian, which means "rich sand" when translated into Chinese.

It is located in the hinterland of Horqin Sandy Land, the second largest sandy land in China. Villagers who are accustomed to wind and sand shook their heads after learning about Gerile’s plan. They believed that there were no living trees in the desert; relatives and friends of Gerile’s They also felt that Gerile, who had worked in the bank all his life, didn’t understand the desert. Planting trees meant throwing money into the sand.

After Gerile said that planting trees was completely at his own expense, the local village committee set aside a piece of sand for her to try.

　　[Concurrent period] Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Horqin Zuoyihou Banner Voluntary Tree Planting Personality Day Le

　　(I am) voluntary tree planting, I just plant it for you in vain, you see if you plant it or not.

Look at (the result).

　　[Explanation] Planting trees in the desert is very difficult.

Without saplings, Gerile used a pension to buy them; in drought and water shortage, she and her wife used a burden to carry water every day; without shelter, they set up shack in the sand nest... More than half of the saplings did not survive the first year of planting.

Gerile was not discouraged. Her children also used their rest time to help her plant trees. They spent 20 years of sweat in exchange for the shade of trees.

　　[Concurrent period] Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Horqin Zuoyihou Banner Voluntary Tree Planting Personality Day Le

　　My (retired) wages, our wages have not been saved at all.

It was all thrown at my base.

When I saw this green, my tuo became green, I was very happy.

I love this tree more than I love my children.

I think this tree is the same as its children.

　　[Explanation] Over the past 20 years, Gerile has invested more than 300,000 yuan to turn 260 acres of desert into an oasis and handed it to the local village committee free of charge.

She told the villagers through practice that not only trees can live in the desert, but fruit trees and vegetables can also be grown.

Nowadays, local villagers have joined the ranks of greening their hometowns, and the vegetation coverage has also been increasing.

Her successor, Gerile, is unwilling to take a rest. This year, 87 years old, she has many inconveniences in her legs and feet, but she is still running to promote economic tree species that can benefit the villagers... People are wondering why Gerile is so persistent. But it just repeated the vow 20 years ago.

　　[Concurrent period] Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Horqin Zuoyihou Banner Voluntary Tree Planting Personality Day Le

　　Life is endless, and we both keep fighting the sand.

　　Reporter Ma Zhiyuan reports from Tongliao, Inner Mongolia

Editor in charge: [Li Yuxin]