In the 1960s, a wave of " agriculture learning Dazhai " was set off across the country, and it was an ordinary farmer named Chen Yonggui who led Dazhai to glory. Chen Yonggui was born in poverty and later served as the party branch secretary of in Dazhai Village. Under his leadership, Dazhai not only defeated the harsh natural environment, but also increased grain output year by year. Since then, Chen Yonggui has become a celebrity and in 1975 he served as the vice premier in charge of agriculture, becoming a vice-state-level cadre in New China.
After becoming the vice premier, Chen Yonggui believed that he could not forget the root and always regarded himself as a farmer. At that time, the salary of the Vice Premier of the State Council was more than 400 yuan. Logically speaking, as the Vice Premier, Chen Yonggui could receive this salary. However, Chen Yonggui did not receive a salary. He believed that he was still a farmer, his identity had not changed, and he would still have to return to the countryside in the future, so Chen Yonggui only received the " work point " from Dazhai Village.
However, Beijing's consumption level is definitely not comparable to that of a rural area in Shanxi. Moreover, after serving as Vice Premier, Chen Yonggui often went to the bottom to check, which all cost money. Therefore, the relevant departments distributed 120 yuan of living allowance to Chen Yonggui every month, which allowed Chen Yonggui to continue working.
Time soon came to 1980. In this year, Chen Yonggui resigned from his position as vice premier. After resigning, Chen Yonggui did not forget his identity as a farmer. He planned to return to his hometown to spend his rest. However, considering Chen Yonggui's physical condition, the organization allowed him to settle in Beijing and moved his wife and youngest son's household registration to Beijing. Since then, Chen Yonggui has lived in Beijing in his later years.
While in Beijing, Chen Yonggui had a wish, which was to return to his hometown in Dazhai, Xiyang, Shanxi. However, his wish has not been fulfilled, so for a while, Chen Yonggui lived a depressed life. After his wife and son arrived in Beijing, Chen Yonggui's face gradually increased. Since then, the family of three has lived a dull life in Beijing, and the organization has equipped him with special cars and chefs, but Chen Yonggui prefers to go to the market to buy vegetables, and he believes that this will be closer to the people.
After three years of unemployment, Chen Yonggui took the initiative to write a letter to his superior, hoping that he could return to work. After that, Chen Yonggui was arranged to serve as a consultant at the Dongjiao Farm in Beijing. The job was very easy. Chen Yonggui only needed to go to the farm once a week, and there was a special car to take him there. Only the days of Dongjiao Farm every week are Chen Yonggui's happiest days, because here, he can get in touch with the land he has been thinking about day and night and continue to be a farmer.
In his later years, Chen Yonggui regarded life and death very lightly. He often said that no one from his ancestors could live to 70 years old, and he had lived to 70 years old. In 1986, Chen Yonggui died of lung cancer in Beijing. After his death, Chen Yonggui's soul returned to his hometown and was buried in Hutou Mountain, Dazhai, Xiyang County, Shanxi Province.
Chen Yonggui has two wives in total. His original wife is Li Huni, and she gave birth to a son, Chen Mingzhu, with Chen Yonggui. Unfortunately, Li Huni was in poor health and died of illness in 1965. After Li Huni died of illness, Chen Yonggui married his second wife, Song Yulin. Song Yulin gave birth to a son for Chen Yonggui, named Chen Mingliang, the child whose household registration was later moved to Beijing. After her husband passed away, Song Yulin lived in Beijing for a while, and later returned to his hometown in Dazhai and died of illness in Dazhai in 2018.
Chen Yonggui's eldest son Chen Mingzhu joined the work of the Xiyang County Party Committee when he grew up and served as the director of the Propaganda Department of the Xiyang County Party Committee. Chen Yonggui's youngest son Chen Mingliang was admitted to Beijing Normal University when he grew up. After graduation, he went into business and became a very successful businessman. In addition, Chen Yonggui also has a stepson named Chen Mingshan, who is the son of Song Yulin and his ex-husband. When Chen Mingshan grew up, he became a staff member of Xiyang County Electric Power Bureau and lived a good life.
