[Explanation] Anjiang Agricultural School (now Huaihua Vocational and Technical College), located in Huaihua, Hunan, is the birthplace of hybrid rice.
Here, Yuan Longping, the "father of hybrid rice", has worked and lived for decades, swaying his youthful sweat and cultivating hybrid rice that "the Chinese hold their jobs firmly in their hands".
On the eve of the Chinese Farmers’ Harvest Festival, the reporter came to the Memorial Garden of Anjiang Agricultural School of Huaihua Vocational and Technical College to look for the mark of the year, listen to Yuan Longping’s student and assistant Mr. Li Bihu, who also made outstanding contributions to hybrid rice research, and recalled Yuan Longping’s Anjiang Nong School years.
[Concurrent] Li Bihu, Former Dean of Huaihua Vocational and Technical College
Mr. Yuan studied agronomy in his university. After graduation, he was assigned to the Hunan Provincial Department of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture assigned him to Anjiang Agricultural School to teach. He taught genetics and cultivation. He also taught English and Russian. The teacher's foreign language is quite good.
[Commentary] Li Bihu said that the erudite teacher Yuan is very approachable.
At that time, Anjiang Agricultural School was a technical secondary school, and the teaching emphasized practice. Teacher Yuan often took the students to participate in production practice and scientific research practice.
It was during this period that Mr. Yuan discovered the heterosis of rice and started research in related fields, opening up a brand-new subject-Hybrid Rice Science.
Recalling the "dream of enjoying the coolness under the grass" often mentioned by Yuan Longping, Li Bihu said that in his sleep, Mr. Yuan dreamed that the rice became as tall as a woody plant, the ears of rice hung like fruit trees, and the rice was the size of an apple. He slept with his pillow under the rice plant.
After waking up, Teacher Yuan immediately shared this dream with herself.
[Concurrent] Li Bihu, Former Dean of Huaihua Vocational and Technical College
(Ms. Yuan) After he woke up, he was very happy how Daozi became such a tall tree.
I said that this is your pursuit and ideal, and the second one also illustrates the direction of the development of human biology research.
Our current technology cannot solve it. In the future, when these technologies are highly developed, humans will synthesize many new plant varieties, including the rice you mentioned.
[Explanation] Li Bihu believes that what Mr. Yuan is most worth learning is his values and innovative spirit.
Teacher Yuan is a pragmatic and truthful person. Don't look at his informality in life, but he is very serious and meticulous in his work.
When I was an assistant to Teacher Yuan, I was often criticized by Teacher Yuan because of the occasional "frizz" at work.
Teacher Yuan's rigorous work attitude has a profound impact on the students and assistants.
[Concurrent] Li Bihu, Former Dean of Huaihua Vocational and Technical College
(Ms. Yuan) The strict requirements are for our good, so that we can grow into a person who is responsible to the society and a person who is useful to the nation.
Reporter Xu Zhixiong reports from Huaihua, Hunan
Editor in charge: 【Luo Pan】