Life imitating art

At the end of 2007, Soldier Sortie (Shibing Tuji), a TV drama dubbed the Chinese-version of Forest Gump, attracted millions of Chinese viewers, old and young.

The story follows the transformation of a shy country boy into a brave special force soldier. Many fans say they were deeply moved by the protagonist named Xu Sanduo, played by rising star Wang Baoqiang.

Military themed TV dramas generally target middle-aged viewers who were raised in the belief of sacrifice and hard work. However, Soldier Sortie also struck a chord with those who were born in the late 1980s.

Fascinated with the drama, many young viewers who are curious about military life want to know if it is based on a true story.

Born in a poor village cut off from the outside world, Xiang Nanlin, 28, is now training at a military college. From a common soldier to a representative of this year's National Congress, the soldier is seen as Xu Sanduo in real life.

Xiang grew up in the mountain-locked Wangcang village, Southwest China's Sichuan province. In the 1930s, almost all of the young men in the village joined the Red Army and dedicated their lives to the country.

The secluded environment hindered the development of Xiang's hometown. The poor village didn't have a middle school. Xiang and fellow teenagers trekked over mountains to attend school 50 km away.

Xiang believes education changed his life. But when his mother had a traffic accident in 1994, the 13-year-old top student of the class decided to quit school and help his father support the family.

He found a job on a building site unloading bricks from trucks. All the other workers doubted him so Xiang worked a whole night to prove his ability. In the morning, the exhausted young man finished his work and crumpled to the ground. His hands were bleeding, but he felt happy when he received his pay of 80 yuan ($11.40).

In 1999, instead of taking the national university entrance examination, Xiang joined the army.

"My family couldn't support both my younger brother and me for college education. I wanted my brother to have the opportunity," Xiang says.

Xiang was posted in Heilongjiang province, Northeast China. The avid learner soon discovered that a strong will and tough body are not enough to become a good soldier. Officers with both military theories and practical skills are in huge demand.

In his spare time, Xiang read many books, especially those about modern military theory.

"Young people are often bored to read theoretical books. I felt the same at the beginning. But when I understand the theories, I can apply them to training and daily life," Xiang says.

"Xiang has brought a positive atmosphere among soldiers," says Ren Zhendong, commander of Xiang's company.

One night after the lights were out, Ren found Xiang reading under candle light in a depot. The next day, he gave Xiang the key to a 6-sq-m room, so he could read at night.

In eight years, Xiang took notes from the 600,000 words he read.

It was winter when a new radar system arrived and Xiang was eager to learn the controlling techniques. Despite the sub zero temperature, Xiang used his bare hands.

Soon he became a specialist in his field. Xiang has published over 40 academic articles and won several military drill contests.

But the hardworking soldier is not a boring bookworm. Xiang has many hobbies and has won singing and calligraphy awards. "Military life is hard but it should by no means be boring. An exciting military life can raise the morale of our troops," Xiang says.

A basketball lover, Xiang is a certified national judge. Once in a basketball game held at his camp, Xiang's whistle sounded at the last moment - the colonel was fouled out and this led to the his team losing. Everyone believed Xiang would get into trouble but the colonel actually praised him for his sense of fair play and asked that Xiang judge every game he played.

Coming from a poor family, Xiang is mindful of those in need. Out of his 965-yuan ($137) monthly salary from which he has to support his brother in college, Xiang donates 50 yuan ($7) to a disabled child in an orphanage. In 2005, a drought hit the hometown of Jiang Baocheng, who was in the same company with Xiang. The family badly needed money to dig a well, but Jiang couldn't afford it. Xiang withdrew all of his money and posted it to Jiang's parents.

To be an officer is every soldier's wish. So far, due to limited quota, Xiang has missed two opportunities. "Every soldier wants to be a general. If we can't make it, let's be a sharp sword in the general's hands," writes Xiang in his diary.

Xiang's dream came true last year when he was sent to a military college. Upon graduation, he will become a qualified officer.

(China Daily 04/23/2008 page20)