Deputy safeguards treasured pine tree

At 7 am on Feb 28, as the first group of tourists arrived at the peaks in the Huangshan Mountain Scenic Area, Hu Xiaochun, a deputy to the National People's Congress, put on a thick cotton coat, slung his tool bag over his shoulder, and headed toward an iconic pine on the Yuping Peak.

The ancient pine, over 1,000 years old, extends its branches on one side, resembling an outstretched arm welcoming visitors, hence its name Yingkesong, or the Guest-Greeting Pine.

Born in 1980 and an army veteran, Hu started working with the scenic area as a fireguard in 2006. Four years later, he became the 19th guardian of the pine, a position established in 1981.

Huangshan Mountain, located in Huangshan city of East China's Anhui province, is a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage site, a World Geopark, and a World Biosphere Reserve.

"For me, guarding this pine, a symbol of Chinese etiquette culture, makes me feel proud and honored," he said.

After inspecting whether the trunk was stable, the branches were regular, and the support frames were intact, he opened his diary and wrote: "Feb 28, no abnormalities."

"No abnormalities are the happiest thing," Hu said with a smile.

"It means the pine is safe and healthy."

In the past years, his diaries for the pine have totaled approximately 1.6 million Chinese characters.

On Feb 20, the snow depth on the mountain reached 20 centimeters. Before the heavy snowfall, Hu and the emergency protection team had set up support frames in advance to provide physical support for the pine.

"We need to carefully check the snow depth on the canopy, the pressure on the branches, and whether the support frame is secure," he said.

"Sometimes, we use snowblowers to blow snow off the branches, reducing the pressure on the pine."

During moments of abrupt severe weather, Hu reminisced about the time he and his colleagues transported bamboo up the mountain to construct a support platform for the pine tree years ago.

His professional dedication earned him the "Good Samaritan of China" title in 2021.

In 2022, President Xi Jinping replied to a letter from Hu and Li Peisheng, a cleaner of the scenic spot and another "Good Samaritan of China", expressing the hope that they shall continue to play their roles as role models.

"Over the years, you have been working to keep Huangshan Mountain clean and beautiful, and tending the millenary Guest-Greeting Pine with care and love day after day, fully demonstrating the spirit of dedication and professional ethics," wrote Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, in his letter.

Hu not only assists passing tourists but also educates them on the protection of the Huangshan pine, a unique species that originated in the area.

He was elected as a deputy to the National People's Congress in 2023.

To actively fulfill his duty, he visits and surveys the local residents, engages in dialogue with tourists, and listens to their opinions and demands regarding ecological civilization, tourism development, and economic and social progress.

For the ongoing two sessions — the annual gatherings of the National People's Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference — he brought forward some proposals to promote the internationalization of Huangshan tourism.

China's visa-free transit policy was extended to 240 hours over that time span and to more cities for ports of entry, including Hefei and Huangshan, two cities in Anhui, by December.

Hu sees this as an opportunity for the development of Huangshan.

To support opening more international routes at the Tunxi International Airport in Huangshan, he suggests that the Civil Aviation Administration of China strengthen its support for small and medium-sized airports in infrastructure planning, flight route approvals, and general aviation development policies.

"I will base myself on my position and actively offer suggestions and strategies for the integrated development of the ecology and the economy," Hu said.

"I will contribute to help my hometown achieve a win-win situation of beautiful ecology and prosperous people."