70-year-old farmer builds free library in China's Chongqing

CHONGQING -- While many farmers in rural China dedicate themselves to building their own decent house, Wang Zhilun, a 70-year-old from Milan village in Longfeng township in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality, used his life savings and procured loans to expand his humble dwelling into a library accessible to all.

For generations, the elder villager had lived in a shabby tiled-roof house, forced to accommodate as many as 10 family members at the same time. However, in 2001, Wang took the initiative to build a 50-square-meter brick library next to his original home. This new addition provided a significantly more spacious and luminous environment compared to his previous abode.

The reading room exudes a warm and inviting ambiance, with comfortable desks, chairs and well-placed lighting, all reflecting Wang's meticulous design. The public square in front of the library is adorned with quaint stone benches and fragrant osmanthus trees. It took Wang 15 years to repay the loans he had acquired from banks and others, all for the free public library.

"I live a humble life. My kids didn't finish their middle school and had to range farther for work at a very young age. So, my wife can hardly understand the logic behind my investment in the library," Wang said.

Despite his limited formal education, the poor farmer harbored a deep-seated thirst for knowledge since his childhood, serving as the driving force behind his endeavor to construct the library. "My five siblings all left our village home for better job opportunities, and I enjoyed reading their letters at home when I was young. Though I didn't understand the meanings of the characters at that time, I often imitated their handwriting, which helped me learn many words," he added.

"In 2001, when my cousin returned to visit relatives, he saw stacks of books at my house. He suggested that I find a better place to store the books while allowing him to read some in the village," Wang said, explaining how the idea of building a library occurred to him.

"I was even thinking that if there is a library, people would come to my place and enliven my boring days," Wang said, adding that his wife and children now all work in south China's Guangdong Province.

Many were deeply touched by Wang's meritorious benefaction and supported him in their own ways. "Some volunteered to become my guarantors when I applied for a bank loan, some helped fill up the shelves with new books, and some donated even more bookshelves," Wang said.

Over two decades have elapsed since the construction of the library, and during this time, both local villagers and visitors from distant cities such as Beijing have perused the extensive collection of books. The library's offerings encompass a diverse range of subjects, spanning from foreign literature to books on agricultural practices and animal breeding techniques.

"It is fair to say that the library means a lot to my fellow villagers. In a way, our minds have been reshaped by these books without even knowing. The most obvious evidence is the locals' spontaneous efforts to maintain the cleanliness of our community, without requiring any reminders or interventions from community workers," said Wang Dian, a 29-year-old villager, who grew up playing with his friends at the library campus.

Wang Dian said he vividly remembers the day when he and his friends strolled into the library, relishing their reading time until it was dark.

"I believe many kids have grown up with the library as their faithful companion during their formative years. It is heartening to witness how many of them have progressed to higher education, pursuing careers as lawyers, teachers, and various other professions," Wang Zhilun said with pride.

Whenever Wang Zhilun gets time, he reads books aloud to elderly villagers who may not be literate enough to read themselves. "I might not be a rich man, but I am very optimistic. It is this positive attitude that made me make this bold decision more than 20 years ago, and it is this positiveness that will continue to support me to guard this library until my last moment," he said.