My Youth, My Xiaogang

During the severe drought of 1978, the villagers of Xiaogang Village in Fengyang struggled with chronic food shortages under the communal dining system. Yan Weidong joined forces with eighteen households to sign a life-and-death pact and introduce household responsibility contracts. That year, the harvest was plentiful, and the villagers escaped a life of relying on relief. Yan then embraced the tide of reform, broke with centralized purchasing and marketing, opened a supply and marketing station, developed industries, and established channels for selling goods beyond the village, helping the villagers increase their incomes year after year. Together with Zhang Xiaoya, he weathered every hardship, ultimately building thriving industries and a happy life.