Zhou Zhengyin stood at the front of the funeral procession, his face filled with sorrow. This reporter Lei Jia took the photo.
Key Points: Liang Yingxia, 66, from the Fengwei New District, was bedridden for exactly 12 years due to illness and passed away peacefully. Yesterday, her funeral attracted many villagers from far and wide. They spontaneously came to pay their respects not only to mourn the deceased but also to visit and console the old man who, without complaint, had tirelessly cared for his wife for 12 years.
Villagers have turned the story of the retired teacher into a catchy rhyme:
"The road in Zhongzhai is wide and broad, husband and wife walk hand-in-hand through it. Young people admire them and want to emulate their love every day."
Due to illness, Liang Yingxia, 66, from the Fengwei New District, was bedridden for exactly 12 years and passed away peacefully. Yesterday, her funeral attracted many villagers from far and wide. They spontaneously came to pay their respects not only to mourn the deceased but also to visit and console the old man who, without complaint, had tirelessly cared for his wife for 12 years.
"She has taken care of me for over thirty years, now it's my turn."
At noon on February 20th, the house of Zhou Zhengyin in Zhongzhai Village, Doumen Street Office, Fengwei New District, was surrounded by people attending the funeral. Villager Zhang Zhilin was busy helping out around Zhou’s home. The relatives of the Zhou family didn’t recognize him. Taking advantage of an opportunity to offer Zhang Zhilin some water and rest, the Zhou family chatted briefly with him. Zhang Zhilin said that he had heard about Zhou Zhengyin and his wife Liang Yingxia from villagers five or six years ago and had always wanted to come and visit, but never had the chance. When he heard about the elder’s passing two days ago, he decided that no matter what, he would come and pay his respects, offering whatever help he could.
Zhou Zhengyin, 70 years old, and his wife Liang Yingxia were both once rural teachers, with Zhou having served as the principal of the village primary school. Twelve years ago, just after Zhou Zhengyin had retired, his wife suddenly suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage. Although her life was saved, she became paralyzed and unable to take care of herself.
"When my partner was healthy, she gave a lot to our family. My personal clothing, food, and shelter were all handled by her, and our four children grew up under her care. After she fell ill suddenly, I thought, she has taken care of me for over thirty years, now it's my turn," Zhou Zhengyin said yesterday.
From never entering the kitchen to cooking daily
When his partner was healthy, Zhou Zhengyin never entered the kitchen and never bought groceries or cooked meals. He didn't know how to wash or fold clothes, nor did he know which clothes to wear for different seasons—all arranged by his wife. "I used to have a bad temper, and arguments were common at home. We broke countless mirrors," Zhou Zhengyin recalled. But since his wife fell ill, his transformation amazed everyone in the village. Not only did he start buying groceries, cooking, and washing clothes, but his explosive temper also completely changed. Helping his wife change clothes, washing her face, combing her hair—these trivial tasks never troubled Zhou Zhengyin. "After my mother fell ill, we often saw our parents laughing and chatting. Mother often told father that his cooking was better than restaurant food. Father would laugh and say that mother said this to save money for the family," said Zhou Zhengyin's daughter yesterday.
Villagers turned their story into a catchy rhyme
For many years, the young and old in Zhongzhai Village often saw such a scene: on the village roads, Zhou Zhengyin slowly walked with Liang Yingxia, supporting her. To ensure his wife received appropriate exercise, unless there was severe weather, walking with his wife was Zhou Zhengyin's unwavering task. "The road in Zhongzhai is wide and broad, husband and wife walk hand-in-hand through it. Young people admire them and want to emulate their love every day." To express their admiration for Zhou Zhengyin and his wife, villagers turned their story into catchy rhymes.
Around the Spring Festival in 2011, Liang Yingxia's condition worsened. Zhou Zhengyin helped his wife turn over every night, rarely sleeping a full night, and became much thinner than before. Liang Yingxia several times shed tears while telling Zhou Zhengyin: "In this life, I am lucky to have met you, I owe you so much that I will repay you in the next life. I hope in the next life, I can still be your wife..." When asked if he thought it was worth doing all these things, Zhou Zhengyin always said, "Young couples grow old together, they should take care of each other. I feel it is my duty, and I do it willingly."
Giving the plaque is to educate the next generation to care more about their parents
Under the influence of their parents, all four of the Zhou family's children have harmonious relationships after marriage. The eldest daughter, after marrying, never quarreled with her in-laws and was awarded the title of a model family and a good daughter-in-law. Frequently, villagers from outside the village would come to learn specifically from the Zhou family, learning how to get along between couples, how to respect the elderly, and how to educate children, intending to promote these values back in their own villages.
On February 19th, Liang Yingxia unfortunately passed away. Yesterday, more than 500 villagers from the same village and neighboring villages spontaneously attended her funeral in Zhongzhai Village. On behalf of all the villagers, the Zhongzhai Village Committee presented Zhou Zhengyin with a plaque inscribed with "Deep Affection Between Spouses, Learning Model." Chen Xuanhu, the secretary of the Zhongzhai Village Party Branch, said that giving the plaque to Teacher Zhou was the wish of all the villagers, not only to teach villagers to love each other as couples but also to educate the younger generation to care more about their parents. He hopes all the villagers will learn from Zhou Zhengyin, standing by their partners when they encounter difficulties, and families should show mutual care.
This report by journalist Yao Luzu and intern Song Lulu.