Li Baoyu, Party secretary of Dongzhongdu village in Sishui county, Jining, recently served as the 96th torch bearer for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.

Li poses for a photo after the torch relay. [Photo/Jining News]

On March 3, Li finished the 50-meter-long torch relay route by walking quickly on his single leg and using a walking stick instead of his wheel chair. With one hand supporting the walking stick and the other hand holding the torch tightly, he walked through his relay route steadily and firmly. 

"I wanted to show the spirit of confidence, independence, and self-improvement of the Chinese people with disabilities to the whole world," said Li, adding that he felt there was also a flame lit in his heart during the torch relay.

"The torch named 'Flying' represents a spirit of resilience and positivity. I hope everyone, either in the arena or in daily life, will march forward courageously and persistently," Li said.

Li stands steadily while holding the torch. [Photo/Jining News]

The 53-year-old gave up his own business and went back to his hometown to serve as a village Party secretary in 2004.

Under his leadership, the village has developed from an impoverished countryside area to a model of rural revitalization.

Over the past few decades, Li has raised around 4 million yuan ($632,800) in funds, which was used to improve the village's infrastructure. 

Li, along with other village cadres, also visited surrounding regions, such as Yiyuan county and Weifang, to learn from their fruit and vegetable planting experience. As a result, they built greenhouses in the village's northern area.

Every day, he rushes around his home, office, and the greenhouses with his walking stick. Through his efforts, greenhouse cherry, passion fruit and fungus planting have become the three major drivers behind the industry development in Dongzhongdu village.

Influenced by Li, his son Li Gen also returned to the village to contribute to the rural revitalization efforts. His son set up a planting cooperative community to integrate industry resources and a trading company to sell products. He also developed online and offline sales by making use of the advantages of e-commerce platforms, creating more jobs, as well as attracting an increasing number of college graduates and migrant workers back to the village.