Protecting an island for a lifetime
Recently, the movie "Island Watcher" touched hundreds of millions of viewers.
The movie tells the story of Wang Jicai, the former director of the Kaishan Island militia post in Guanyun County, Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, and his wife Wang Shihua guarding Kaishan Island for 32 years.
Kaishan Island, 12 nautical miles from Yanwei Port in Guanyun County, has an area of only 0.013 square kilometers.
As an outpost in the Yellow Sea, Kaishan Island cannot be left unattended. In 1985, a militia post was set up after the troops were disarmed.
In 1986, Wang Jicai and his wife became the fifth group of island guards on Kaishan Island.
In 2018, Wang Jicai suffered a sudden illness while on duty and fell asleep on Kaishan Island.
Five-star red flag rises on the island
Kaishan Island is surrounded by the sea and the sky. There are only a few rows of empty barracks, mountains full of rocks, and steep cliffs. It is scorching sun in summer and biting cold wind in winter. There is no electricity, no fresh water, no vegetation... …
Wang Jicai's best companion and spiritual support is the five-star red flag flying high.
For 32 years, regardless of wind or rain, the first thing Wang Jicai and his wife Wang Shihua did every day was to solemnly raise the national flag.
Wang Jicai said: "Although Kaishan Island is small, its territory is sacred and the national flag must be raised!"
Life on the island often encounters severe weather.
Once encountered a level 12 typhoon, Wang Jicai was afraid that the national flag would be damaged.
On the way back, he stomped on the air and rolled down the mountainside, breaking two ribs.
But Wang Jicai said: "The flag is the position. People are in the flag, and the flag is in the position."
On New Year's Day 2012, the Tiananmen National Flag Guard Team sent a steel mobile flag-raising stand and a five-star red flag that had been flying in Tiananmen Square from Beijing.
Day after day, the couple raised the flag, patrolled the island, escorted the beacon, and wrote the journal without interruption.
They also overcome many difficulties, planting trees and flowers on the rocky island.
If there is no soil, fishermen will be asked to carry them a little bit; if there is no water, they will "squeeze" out of the drinking water.
"If a person can survive, so can a tree!" Wang Jicai said.
Finally, a seedling grows, a flower blooms, and a seed bears... In the past few decades, there have been more than 100 trees on the island, and they also produce fruits and vegetables on their own.
Wang Shihua said, "Although Pharaoh is gone, the island is no longer alone."
Persevere in serving the motherland
Wang Zhiguo is the son of Wang Jicai and is now a maritime police law enforcement officer.
In July 1987, when Wang Shihua was about to give birth, a strong typhoon suddenly came and was unable to get off the island.
In a hurry, Wang Jicai grabbed the walkie-phone and contacted the People's Armed Forces Department of the county. Under the remote guidance of the political commissar’s family members, Wang Jicai delivered the baby to his wife.
Wang Jicai named his son "Zhiguo", he said: "Zhizi has a'shi' on the top and a'heart' on the bottom. I hope that he will be a soldier with the motherland in his heart, and he is determined to serve the country!"
On Kaishan Island, fresh water and food are all carried by fishing boats.
When fishing boats were unable to go to sea, they ran out of food and water.
This situation will happen once or twice a year.
In 32 years, everyone may have different choices, but the choice of Wang Jicai and his wife is to stick to it.
In 1993, when Wang Jicai's son reached the age of enrollment, he plucked up the courage to resign.
At this time, the old political commissar of the People's Armed Forces Department was sick and lying in bed, took his hand and said, "Jicai, you must promise me that you must keep Kaishan Island. You will really not find the island guard when you get off the island. "Wang Jicai swallowed the words that came to his lips.
Soon, the old political commissar passed away.
"The words of the old political commissar are his last wish. He will not worry about opening up the island until his death. I made a promise and must keep it!" Wang Jicai recalled.
Both his parents and second uncle supported him in guarding the island.
"My second uncle participated in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the War of Liberation, and the War of Resistance against U.S. Aid Korea, and was lucky to survive." Wang Jicai felt, "No matter how difficult the island is, there is no bullet rain, how can I not keep it well?"
Do something more down-to-earth
The sea conditions of Kaishan Island are complicated.
In the past, satellite navigation was underdeveloped. Wang Jicai and his wife would light up lights on the island to allow passing fishing boats to see the channel; in foggy weather, they would knock with basins and make noises to make fishing boats avoid the island.
They also tried their best to help if fishing boats were out of food, water, or diseases.
"When we see these fishermen, we always think of ourselves and our relatives." Wang Shihua said.
One winter, when the fishing boat of the fisherman Huang Xiaoguo passed by Kaishan Island, the engine suddenly caught fire. Wang Jicai took the only two quilts and soaked the sea water to cover the engine, which put out the fire.
The couple endured the cold for three nights.
What Wang Jicai used to talk about before his death was, "We are very grateful for doing what we should do, but getting so much honor. In the future, we must do more steadily."
On the morning of September 26, Kaishan Island changed its tranquility and ushered in a new batch of militiamen who participated in the changing of the guard and handover ceremony.
After the death of Wang Jicai, Guanyun County changed the way of duty on Kaishan Island. Through voluntary registration and organization recommendation, the island guarding militia was selected from the county. Each group was about 10 people, and the duty cycle was one year. Groups took turns to go to the island on duty, each group of 3 People, every half a month.
(Li Hongfei participated in the collection and writing)