He Xiaoying, 55 years old, from Tujia Ethnic Minority, is the director of Guangrong Nursing Home in Hongjiaguan Village, Sangzhi County. She has been caring for 123 veterans here for 30 years, serving as a director, nurse, cook, and laborer. For her selfless devotion several organizations have presented awards to her, including “National Star of Filial Piety”, “Model Worker of Hunan Province”, “Touching Figures of Hunan”, “3rd Zhangjiajie Filial Piety Role model”, and “Top Ten Outstanding Youth in Zhangjiajie”.

In 1986 when she was 24 years old, He Xiaoying joined the nursing home, instead of choosing a comfortable and profitable job. Over the past 30 years, she spent all her time in the nursing home, living and eating with the elderly. She gets up at 6 am, and goes to sleep at 10 pm, working continually for more than 14 hours every day. Her routine work include cooking, washing, fetching water, chopping firewood, keep the nursing home clean, and helping the elderlies wash their faces, comb their hair, and have their nails trimmed. In her spare time, she also takes care of flowers and plants around the nursing home.

There are many beautiful and touching stories about her and the veterans.
Gu Fudeng, an 82-year-old sufferer of gastric carcinoma, yearned for Pipa (Chinese plum or loquat) one day. Though out of the season, He Xiaoying went to search in the mountain behind the nursing home. Finally, she found three wild Pipa, and peeled them before feeding Gu. “Sweet! Really sweet!” Gu said feelingly with his lips quivering.

Liu Jinxiang fell into a persistent vegetative state several years ago. In the beginning, without any experience in such case, He Xiaoying could not tell what Liu needed. After two-year intensive care, she could catch Liu’s demands easily when Liu shaked her head, or opened or closed her mouth. She promised Liu on her deathbed that she would kowtow at her funeral. Liu gave a nod in gratification.

“To make the elderly happy, we should not retort or hit back, even when we suffer wrong,” He Xiaoying said. And she always did as what she said. “This is what a nursing home should be. We should guarantee the elderly are happy, without any grievance, even though we may suffer wrong sometimes. I feel happy, provided the elderly are happy!”

In order to assure uninterrupted supply of vegetables and meat for the elderly, He Xiaoying raised pigs and cultivated one acre of vegetable field, despite busy nursing work. The elderly volunteered to help in the field, trying to share her work.

Chen Bohou once witnessed his comrade-in-arms Ouyang Hai pulling the war-horse off the track to avoid a collision. Though stubborn like a war-horse, he was always dependent on He Xiaoying. When He Xiaoing went out for meeting, Chen would wait at the door until she came back, and cheered like a child: “Director He comes back!”

He Xiaoying never thought about getting anything from her own needs in her 30-year nursing work. She mentioned her grandfather, a martyr of the Red Army. As a successor of martyr, she just wants to take good care of these veterans.

“Director He is an unparalleled kind person. I’ve lived here for eight years. She takes care of us even more considerately than our children. Thanks to her, I enjoy living here”, said 86-year-old Tan Zeran, a family member of a martyred soldier.

“I do not have a great expectation, nor any hobbies. I just do ordinary work every day, and will continue to do this. It is just responsibility.” He Xiaoying keeps up her commitment, never stopping to carry out her duties. She will continue to play such an extraordinary role through this ordinary work.