Zhang Lianyin, China's 'Green General', dies at 80

Former Deputy Commander of the Hebei provincial military command, Zhang Lianyin, who was acclaimed as a "Role Model of the Time" for his environmental contributions, passed away at the age of 80 on Sunday due to illness, as reported by Shanxi Daily on Monday.

Born in 1945 in Zhangjiachang village, Shanxi province, Zhang faced early hardships, losing his father at the age of 4 and becoming an orphan at 13 after the passing of his grandparents. Despite these challenges, he found support from villagers and was granted the opportunity to join the military in 1964, a transformative decision that elevated him from an ordinary child to a respected general.

Upon retiring in 2003, Zhang returned to his hometown with his wife, Wang Xiulan, and invested their entire savings of 300,000 yuan ($42,000) in an ambitious tree-planting endeavor. Motivated by gratitude towards his fellow villagers, the couple worked tirelessly, waking up before dawn each day to plant trees in the desolate hills and mountains plagued by desertification.

From 2004 to 2010, Zhang successfully planted over 200 hectares of trees, significantly altering the landscape of Zhangjiachang village. In 2011, he was diagnosed with lung cancer, leading to the removal of his right lung lobe. Undeterred by his health challenges, Zhang resumed his tree-planting mission and fulfilled his promise of planting 334 hectares of land in 2014. Unfortunately, his condition worsened to a bone metastasis of lung cancer.

Over two decades, Zhang, along with his family, transformed over 20 hectares of neglected riverbanks into a thriving seedling base and planted more than 2.05 million trees, covering an area of over 1,200 hectares.

In recognition of his extraordinary contributions, Zhang was honored with the title of "Role Model of the Time" by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee in October 2021. Affectionately referred to by netizens as the "Green General" and the "Tree Commander," Zhang symbolized unwavering commitment to environmental conservation and left a profound impact on his hometown.