On August 9, 2021, on the Saarbulak Grassland in Yumin County, an old man with a sheep whip in his hand, a radio and a telescope hanging on his chest, drove the sheep to the depths of the grassland. He is the winner of the "July 1st Medal", a retired employee of the 161st Regiment of the Ninth Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and Wei Deyou, a border guard. For 57 years of patrolling the border for the country, every inch of grass under his feet and every ridge in the distance are engraved in Wei Deyou's heart. He is known as the "living boundary monument" on the border.

I never thought about leaving when I came

Along the winding pastoral road to the depths of the Sarbulak grassland, a small courtyard stands alone, with a sign at the door with the three characters of the guardian. This is where Wei Deyou and his wife Liu Jinghao live.

Gray hair and a little rickets on the back-years and hard work left a deep mark on the couple. But they are determined, and they still patrol the sheep every day, and they walk more than ten kilometers. "From the first day I came here, I never thought about leaving." Wei Deyou said.

In 1964, 24-year-old Wei Deyou responded to the call of the state and transferred from the former Beijing Military Region to the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and came to the Saarbulak Grassland. At that time, the Saerbulak grassland was actually a deserted Gobi desert because of the serious salinization of the land. This is also the only way for the cold air of Siberia to go south. In winter, the wind blows strongly and the snow is as deep as 1 meter; in summer, mosquitoes are infested with a dish of ten mosquitoes. Even if the environment is bad, Wei Deyou and his comrades have never flinched. They open up wasteland, plant trees, and dig out their nests, while grazing and patrolling, take root here. "Take off the military uniform, I am still a soldier, and I must have the perseverance to fight against the sky. Any difficulty will not be difficult for me." Wei Deyou said.

Then, Wei Deyou took his wife from his hometown in Shandong, settled down at the border and raised his children. In the early 1980s, Wei Deyou's company was abolished, and he took the initiative to stay on the sidelines. The comrades who used to farm and guard the borders left one after another. The comrades of the border police station changed one after another, but Wei Deyou has been rooted in the depths of the grassland, always insisting on grazing and guarding the border with his wife.

A party flag on the border

In order to guard the edge, Wei Deyou tasted the ups and downs. The long road to patrol has worn out an unknown number of pairs of shoes, but the faith and will to defend the country has not diminished in the slightest. "This is the task given to me by the party, and I will always stick to it." Wei Deyou has a firm conviction.

In June 1983, Wei Deyou joined the Communist Party of China. In 1984, the party branch of the second company of the 161st regiment of the 9th Division of the Corps was withdrawn and merged, and Wei Deyou's organizational relationship was transferred to another branch in the regiment. This branch is more than 30 kilometers away from Wei Deyou's home. He can't usually lead an organizational life. He went to the border station to study with the soldiers when he was patrolling the border. He listened more to the party's voice on the radio. After getting up every day, the first thing Wei Deyou and his wife do is to raise the national flag, and the couple are meticulous in every flag raising movement. "No matter how far you go, you can find your home when you see the five-star red flag." Wei Deyou said.

Wei Deyou is looking after his own sheep

Wei Deyou usually doesn't talk much. He feels very ashamed to be awarded the "July 1st Medal", "I actually didn't do anything. For so many years, there hasn't been a foreign-related incident. If I have done something for the party and the country, I I think this is a little contribution I made."

The spirit of guarding the border is passed down from generation to generation

In 2002, both Wei Deyou and his wife retired. The children who worked in Shandong urged their parents to return to their hometowns to provide for the elderly, but they refused. The second daughter, Wei Ping, bought a house for her parents in the group field, but the old couple did not live there for a day. "Since you don't want to go, then we will come over." After discussing with her husband, Wei Ping quit her job in Shandong in 2017 and came to the grassland. Now the youngest daughter Wei Xia also came to the grassland and took over the baton from her father's side tour with her sister.

"It feels very proud and proud to be able to guard the border of the motherland with my father. Nowadays, the place has changed a lot. The border roads have been built straight, and the border officers and soldiers and guards can eat fresh fruits and vegetables all year round. Compared with our fathers, we are new A generation of frontier people are much happier." Wei Xia said.

With the help of the local government, the adobe house where Wei Deyou and his wife lived has been turned into a brick house with a spacious yard. But Wei Deyou and his wife still like to live in the old house, where they have the years of nostalgia. Wei Deyou planted many saplings near the old house and took care of them every day. "We are like these trees, rooted in the frontier, the younger generations will follow the road we have walked, grow into towering trees, continue to protect the border of the motherland." Wei Deyou said.

In 2021, the Wei Deyou Patriotic Education Base invested and constructed by the Party Committee of the Ninth Division of the Corps opened. The pictures, paragraphs, and certificates are the testimonies of Wei Deyou's lifelong guarding of the country without regrets. There is also a screening hall in which you can watch the movie "Borderman" based on Wei Deyou and his wife.

Fu Zhiyou, an instructor of the Jiyek Border Police Station of the Tacheng Border Management Detachment, is a frequent visitor to Wei Deyou's family. He often organizes young policemen to follow Wei Deyou and listen to Wei Deyou's stories. "Wei Deyou always sticks to the border line, practicing the unrepentant vow of'dedicating his youth and life, and offering his children and grandchildren.' He is a model for us to learn from." Fu Zhiyou said. Editor/He Yuting