Kong Xiangyu: scatter all his wealth to build his hometown

??? "the construction of a beautiful countryside requires not only the pastoral scenery of green mountains and green waters, but also the moral and spiritual pursuit of local characteristics." In Dongzhang Village, Dadeng Township, Xiangfen County, there is such an old man who has been clinging to this belief for many years, regardless of rain or shine, spending all his wealth, obsessively running around every corner of his hometown, searching for, excavating and reshaping the rural culture that has been lost for a long time, and using his own meagre strength to fill the spirit of the mountain village and inherit the context of rural culture. His selfless belief ignited the whole mountain village like a fire, and gradually turned into a root search for the whole mountain village.

He is praised by the masses as the "native" local sage Kong Xiangyu in the new era.

Kong Xiangyu, born in Dongzhang Village in 1955, worked as a farmer in the village after graduating from junior high school at the age of 17. Two years later, recommended by the village to Linfen cement plant to engage in electric welding, repair work. In 1985, he was transferred to work in Linfen Grain and Oil Machinery Factory. In 1988, Kong Xiangyu went through the formalities of suspending pay and staying on duty, formally "went to the sea" and carried out stone distribution on the shop floor in Linfen.

Because of his flexible thinking and honesty, Kong Xiangyu has accumulated some wealth over the past ten years. In 2005, Kong Xiangyu returned to the village and was determined to do something for his hometown. At that time, he spent 150000 yuan on building roads, greening barren hills, and diverting water up the mountain, and invested 50, 000 yuan to build three new offices and one school gate for the village school. "I just want to do something for the village. at first, I want to build roads, greening, and schools, but I think this is only a small part. I should restore the things of my ancestors and let future generations know where my roots are." Kong Xiangyu said.

Kong Xiangyu always believes that the village where he grew up is inextricably linked to Zhang Liang. He remembers the saying that "Zhang Liang's Tomb is in Dongzhang Village" since ancient times. He remembers the "hometown of Han Liuhou" clearly engraved on the broken tablet standing at the gate of the temple when he was a teenager. Kong Xiangyu believes that he has the responsibility to rebuild the rich "Guishan" culture, so that the splendor of the ancient culture will remain as brilliant as it should be after a thousand years.

With this in mind, Kong Xiangyu is ready to start with the reconstruction of Liuhou Temple. Liu Hou Temple is the ancestral temple of Zhang Liang, the "three heroes of the early Han Dynasty". It has been standing on the tortoise hill next to the village. According to the villagers at the foot of Guishan, Zhang Liang is the ancestor of the villagers surnamed Zhang in the seven villages. Zhang Liang's hometown is in Dadeng Township at the foot of Guishan, and the folk have also found stone inscriptions such as "Liuhou hometown" and "Han Liuhou Temple" one after another.

In 2005, Kong Xiangyu officially began the arduous process of searching for stone inscriptions. "if I see a tablet, my blood will boil." Kong Xiangyu spoke with deep feelings. He ran through the corners and crannies of the nearby village, remembering the location of the monument wherever he saw it, in whose house he found it, and what content, and told others to protect the inscription.

The village heard that Kong Xiangyu wants to rebuild the "Guishan" culture and let him contract Guishan for 50 years free of charge, but there is a condition that if the construction does not start within five years, it will be returned. Kong Xiangyu didn't let everyone down. In 2007, the residence Temple, which was built with an investment of 450000 yuan, was finally completed.

After learning about Kong Xiangyu, the villagers of the village and the villagers of the neighboring villages provided clues, donated money and things, and unreservedly contributed what they knew. In 2013, Kong Xiangyu took the lead in building the Dongyue Temple next to the Liuhou Temple, raising 800000 yuan for the project.

Today, the green trees on Guishan have begun to take shape, with more than 4000 people attending temple fairs every year, and people in the village have a place to worship and remember. "now I have found more than 50 monuments, and I will continue to collect them for the rest of my life. I will continue to collect them and dig into the 'Guishan' culture. I will have to finish it all my life. If one day I can't do it, I can only let future generations finish it." So said Kong Xiangyu, 61 years old.

Our reporter Cao Xin, correspondent Shen Zongzhen