Xi Haijian, a reporter stationed in Cangzhou, Dai Qing and Han Zexiang. Xi Haijian, a sophomore at Northeast Normal University and a free normal student, raised funds for his summer vacation to teach in poor areas of Sichuan by auctioning his paintings on Weibo and received positive responses from netizens across the country and overseas Chinese. Xi Haijian interpreted the responsibility and commitment of the "post-90s" college students with his optimism and love. On July 10, Xi Haijian and other members set off together to Yunnan and Sichuan, embarking on their teaching journey.
The young man from Cangzhou, Xi Haijian, is a candidate for the China Web Story Moving Figure.
Recently, websites and forums such as the Cangzhou Tieba have all topped the thread titled "Cangzhou 'post-90s' young man Xi Haijian shortlisted for the 'China Web Story・Moving 2011' Person of the Year selection", with many netizens leaving messages of support. Netizen "Short Hair" said: "Xi Haijian's story of selling paintings to teach shows us the social responsibility of contemporary college students. He and his classmates are all good examples. If I have the opportunity, I would also like to join their team and do something for the children in impoverished mountainous areas."
Recently, an article in the Urban Evening News titled "Buy 'the next-door young man's' painting, help him raise some teaching expenses" quickly drew widespread social attention. The protagonist of the event, Xi Haijian, is from Cangzhou and is a sophomore student at the School of Fine Arts at Northeast Normal University. In preparation for the upcoming journey with the school's public welfare teaching group "Tomorrow's Village," he auctioned his oil paintings online under the Weibo name "Next-door Young Man" to raise over a thousand yuan for travel expenses. Netizens were moved by Xi Haijian's act of raising funds through the sale of paintings for teaching purposes, and they rushed to buy paintings, make donations, and give gifts, not only solving Xi Haijian's travel expense problems but also entrusting him with their love and blessings.
Subsequently, Xi Haijian's story of selling paintings for teaching became a hot topic on the internet, and due to its wide influence, he was shortlisted for the "China Web Story・Moving 2011" Person of the Year selection. The quality of "I can do it too, public welfare includes me" embodied by Xi Haijian touched countless people. On July 8, the reporter contacted Xi Haijian and listened to his teaching stories, delving into the spiritual world of him and the "post-90s" teaching team.
Impoverished students are determined to take root in poor areas
Born in 1990 in Zhangdian Village, Hanji Town, Yanshan County, Cangzhou City, Xi Haijian grew up in a poor rural family. At the age of 11, he moved to Cangzhou with his parents. His family was not well-off; his father usually rode a tricycle to do odd jobs, while his mother was a sanitation worker. Both Xi Haijian and his younger brother had to go to school, so the sensible Xi Haijian started helping his parents early, tutoring his younger brother and secretly collecting scrap to subsidize the household. In 2009, Xi Haijian was admitted to the School of Fine Arts at Northeast Normal University, becoming one of the 151 free normal students in our province that year.
After becoming a free normal student, Xi Haijian’s tuition and accommodation fees were fully covered, and he received a monthly living allowance of 400 yuan. “We cannot complacently enjoy the cultivation of our country. Teaching in poor areas of our country is the glorious mission of us free normal students,” said Xi Haijian firmly.
With a grateful heart, Xi Haijian joined the "Tomorrow's Village" Public Welfare Teaching Group of Northeast Normal University as soon as he entered university in his first year. "Help today's education, build tomorrow's motherland" is their loyal oath. During last year's teaching trip to Yunnan, Xi Haijian and other members took a 50-hour train ride and a 10-hour bus ride. They encountered many things along the way and met various people, including enthusiastic attendants, kind villagers, and village cadres who provided them with a lot of help. Their accommodation and meals were very simple, and they absolutely did not want to cause any extra trouble for the local schools. The summer camp organized by the teaching group was well-organized, including basic courses such as Chinese, mathematics, physics, geography, art, and physical education, as well as sports meets, cultural evenings, and calligraphy and painting exhibitions, aiming to let the children have a happy and beneficial summer vacation. "Teacher, when you become big artists in the future, come here to paint. Although this place is not very developed, it is very beautiful, and the air is good..." A lively little boy pulled them aside and said as they were about to leave after the last teaching activity. The hearts of the members were touched, and tears of farewell fell. "Okay, teacher promises you!" Xi Haijian's response was not a casual promise but came from the bottom of his heart. When interviewed by the reporter, Xi Haijian clearly stated: "In the future, I will definitely go to poor areas to teach. I hope to tell my students that poverty is not scary, but having no dreams is."
"I am just an ordinary member of a large teaching group"
Xi Haijian's actions have motivated more students to participate in charity sales and support public welfare. Students have raised more than 300 excellent works and held a "University Student Charity Work Auction" hoping to use the proceeds from the auction to support basic education in poor areas.
Xi Haijian said that last year, the "Tomorrow's Village" teaching group had 22 members, and this year the number has reached 64. College students from Sichuan, Yunnan, and other places have also contacted them. Xi Haijian and his companions will conduct teaching activities with the college students there. "I am just an ordinary member of a large teaching group," Xi Haijian sincerely said, "Our graduating seniors this year have already signed work contracts, but they still insist on going to the mountains with us for teaching. They deserve more praise."
Xi Haijian summarized to the reporter that the reason why he has received so much attention is related to three labels: "post-90s", "Weibo", and "selling paintings for teaching". While these labels have triggered praise, they have also brought doubts: "Is charity being made such a big deal? Have you learned how to hype at such a young age?" Some uncivilized and impolite words hurt Xi Haijian's kindness. "At the time, I just wanted to sell paintings to raise funds for teaching. I don't understand what hype is. The attention was unexpected. If it really brings some social effects, I hope everyone doesn't focus on me, but focuses on the basic education in poor areas," Xi Haijian said.
Xi Haijian's action of selling paintings to raise teaching funds has also drawn more attention to the teaching team composed of impoverished students. "I hope there will be some specialized institutions and foundations in society, allowing enthusiastic impoverished students to devote themselves to teaching without worries," experts called out.
On July 10, Xi Haijian and other members of "Tomorrow's Village" set off again together to Yunnan and Sichuan. They wish to realize their actions with the slogan "Under the name of public welfare, carry love together, and make the world more beautiful with our small efforts." Xi Haijian said that he would bring everyone's love to the hands and hearts of the children, and hoped that more people could pay attention to the children in poor mountainous areas, making their childhood colorful and full of dreams.
In Xi Haijian's blog post, there is such a passage: "The purpose of university lies in illuminating virtue, in loving the people, and in striving for perfection. It is our youth's inescapable responsibility to contribute to society, and it is our honorable and arduous task as free normal students to contribute to our country's education! Study for the rise of China, teach for the revival of China!"
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