Iron man's spirit lives on at oilfield

Employees follow example set by model worker Wang Jinxi

Over the past month, numerous visitors have headed to the Tieren Wang Jinxi Memorial Hall in Daqing, Heilongjiang province, to mark the 100th birth anniversary of a man who set a proud example for China's oilfield workers.

The visitors listened to accounts of Wang Jinxi's work and laid flowers at a statue commemorating him.

Before entering the 47-meter-high memorial hall, they climbed 47 steps symbolizing the relatively short but extraordinary 47-year life of Wang, who was nicknamed by his fellow workers and local residents as Tieren, which translates as "Iron Man".

Born to a poor rural family in Yumen county, Gansu province, on Oct 8, 1923, Wang had a bitter childhood, during which he became resilient and strong-minded.

In spring 1950, he passed an examination to become one of the first generation of oil rig workers since the founding of the People's Republic of China the previous year.

On April 29, 1956, he joined the Communist Party of China.

In 1959, Wang received the National Role Model Worker medal for his work performance in Yumen and was also invited to attend the ceremony in Beijing to mark the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

During his trip to the capital, he was surprised to find that every bus was operating with a huge bag on the roof.