Li Meng, who has dedicated 14 years of her life serving as a sanitation worker in Beijing, has shared stories about what motivated her to become a cleaner as a youth and how the outstanding members of China's older-generation working class has inspired her to make more contributions to public welfare.
The 37-year-old pump technician was honored as an exemplary individual of China's working class during a grand gathering at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday, along with over 2,400 more role models. At the meeting, President Xi Jinping called on the whole society to learn from the model workers and exemplary individuals and promote their excellent deeds and qualities.
Li shared her personal tales of becoming a sanitation worker in Beijing's urban Dongcheng District, when with meeting the press along with four other representatives of the honorees in Beijing on Tuesday.
Li was born and brought up in Beijing and retired as an army service member in 2011. When sharing her stories with the reporters, she recalled her valuable experience of serving in the military and said she later decided to follow the footsteps of Shi Chuanxiang, a first-generation model worker who was honored for his contribution to the sanitation in China's capital city in 1959. Today, Li works at the same station of the Dongcheng sanitation service center as Shi did.
"I was a Beijing native brought up in the city's alleys. My life has been defined by two major turning points. One was my experience in the army which has steeled me against hardships, given me an indefatigable will, and reinforced my sense of collectivism. It was all this that led to make my second life choice, as I decided to serve at the former workplace of Shi Chuanxiang, a first-generation national model worker. During my work there, I have been surrounded and influenced by many experienced workers of my senior. Their attitude reminded me of the same spirit and style I learned in the army," said Li.
When she was just a young 22-year-old, Li became a sanitation worker collecting human waste and sewage like Shi. Dealing with sewers has never made her doubt her career choice, all because of the example set by Shi, she said.
"He dedicated his entire life to training a group of 25 young sewer workers. He once said that every sector needs new blood to carry on the work, and sanitation service is no exception. What he said really inspired me. We are now in a better era and are assisted by machines and smart technologies, but I believe the hardworking spirit exemplified by the older-generation role models have always guided me forward," Li said.
In 2018, Li was awarded the National May Day Labor Medal, a great honor for workers in China. And in 2022, she was elected as a deputy to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
Li firmly believes what she does is meaningful work for public good and that she will continue to serve the people.
"I think the reason I have held onto my job is that I admire the older generations' unswerving dedication, but more importantly, it is because my love for the job. As long as you are passionate about a career, you will devote yourself to it by doing a bit more and being always hands-on in every aspect of your work. This is also about finding the value of my own work," Li said.
Dedicated sanitation worker shares personal story about career choice
