Jiaolong rose of remembrance is more than a mere tribute

On Feb 2, a touching flower-giving ceremony was held in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province. The event was aptly titled "Blossoms link two lands, sentiments travel a thousand miles" as it celebrated the bonds between Yunnan province and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. After the event, a new rose variety, named "Jiaolong", left Yunnan and departed for Zhaosu county in Xinjiang, carrying with it public affection, a pioneering spirit and a promise to maintain cross-regional agricultural cooperation.

The rose was independently bred by the researchers of the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences. During a public naming campaign, netizens chose to name it "Jiaolong", in memory of He Jiaolong, a government official-cum-social media influencer held in high esteem by the people of Xinjiang for her dedication to rural vitalization in the autonomous region.

He Jiaolong died last month at the age of 47 following a severe head injury after falling from a horse while filming a work-related program.

She rose to national prominence in 2020 while serving as deputy head of Zhaosu county in the Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture, where she livestreamed sales of local agricultural products. The rural county is known for its scenic grasslands and horse industry. In November 2020, a short video showing her wearing a red cloak riding a horse and galloping across a white snowfield to promote local tourism went viral. Reports say the clip accumulated more than 600 million views across multiple platforms helping Zhaosu, the "Hometown of Heavenly Horses", gain nationwide fame.

The new flower symbolizes "Where there is devotion, nothing is invincible" — adapted from Jiaolong's last social media post, reflecting her fearless commitment to her hometown and its people.

The remembrance rose aside, the event also signaled deeper cooperation between Yunnan and Xinjiang. At the ceremony, the institute of the YAAS that developed the rose signed a framework agreement on flower industry collaboration with the authorities in Zhaosu. The two sides will carry out in-depth cooperation in flower variety introduction, technical exchanges and industrial development, joining efforts to boost the flower business in both regions.

As a major hub of horticultural innovation, Yunnan enjoys world-renowned advantages in flower breeding and cultivation. Zhaosu, in turn, boasts unique plateau ecology and cultural tourism resources. This partnership allows high-quality flower varieties and advanced technologies from Yunnan to take root in Xinjiang, while promoting the integrated development of flower planting, cultural experience and tourism across the two regions.

The Jiaolong rose is more than a new flower cultivar — it is a living monument to public service and dedication and a living bridge between the mountains of Yunnan and the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang. As it takes root and blooms in Zhaosu, a heartfelt tribute to a woman devoted to her homeland will be a vanguard driving force for the region's development.

A flower that never fades carries the spirit of love forward, connecting two lands of beauty with resilience and hope. He Jiaolong is not alone; she is the epitome of countless grassroots civil servants who silently dedicate themselves to their posts. They leave their comfort zones, immerse themselves in remote areas, take root among the people, and turn "impossible" into "possible" with perseverance. Like He, they fight day and night for rural vitalization, go all out to boost local economies, and spare no effort to improve people's livelihoods, devoting their lives to interpret the responsibility of "serving the people wholeheartedly". Their dedication is not as magnificent as a monument, but as warm and enduring as the Jiaolong rose, blooming silently and bringing hope and prosperity to the land and people they love.