Three generations of 'six old men' turn desert into oasis

Six men in their 50s in Tumen township, Gulang county, marched into Babusha in the spring of 1981, embarking on their desertification control and afforestation journey.

Over the past 38 years, the six men and their children and grandchildren struggled unswervingly in this wilderness and finally made it an oasis, working a green miracle with their "Yu Gong Spirit" (Yu Gong is a figure in Chinese fairy tale who had two high mountains moved through his steadfast determination).

Babusha Forestry Farm won more than 40 praises or honors from national authorities as well as Party committees and governments at provincial, municipal and county levels in succession. In 2018, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China granted the honor of Advanced Group of "Three-North Shelter Forest System Project" to the farm. In the same year, Gansu provincial Party committee and provincial government granted the honorary title of Advanced Group of "Six Old Men" Three Generations for Afforestation and Desertification Control to the farm in Gulang county.

In September 2018, the six men were named as annual charity figures of the 5th CCTV Charity Night for their desertification control efforts over the decades. On December 28, 2018, Ren Linduo, secretary of Gansu provincial committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of Gansu Provincial People's Congress, met with representatives of the advanced afforestation and desertification control group of three generations of "six old men" in Babusha Forestry Farm, Gulang county.

In 2019, the afforestation and desertification control group of three generations of "six old men" in Babusha Forestry Farm was praised as Touching Gansu figures at the 40th Anniversary of Reform and Opening-up - "ICBC Cup" Pridemen of Gansu. On March 29, 2019, the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee promoted the touching stories of the advanced afforestation and desertification control group of three generations of "six old men" in the farm, Gulang county, Gansu province, and dubbed them "Models of the Times".