Preface

On July 22, 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited the Nyingchi Railway Station, where he was briefed on the overall planning for the Sichuan-Xizang Railway as well as the status of construction and operation of the Lhasa-Nyingchi section. He also rode a special train on the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway to observe construction firsthand. As someone who had worked on the Qinghai-Xizang and Lhasa-Nyingchi Railways, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride and excitement upon hearing this news.

In 2003, while working for a state-owned construction company under the Central Government, I was sent to Xizang. Along with thousands of other workers, I threw myself, heart and soul, into the region’s new development.

At that time, we were stationed in the western suburbs of Lhasa, across from the coach terminal. The scope of work we had undertaken included the Lhasa riverside flood dike project, as well as the Nyingchi airport, the Xigaze grain depot, and the Shannan irrigation canal projects. These civil engineering projects were all designated by the Xizang Autonomous Region as vitally important, and each one brought the people of the region great prosperity and happiness while driving economic development. As a young man working on these projects, I felt a great sense of accomplishment.

Because of my work, I would often travel around to different worksites. In fair weather or foul, and no matter how trying things became, I was always very happy. I traveled the length and breadth of Xizang, across the mountains and rivers of the snowy plateau, experiencing local customs and practices, not to mention the brilliant Tibetan culture. Everything that I saw engendered in me a profound adoration for this marvelous plateau. At that time, there was a massive banner that hung from the colorful archway on the western bridge of the bustling “Sun Island” in Lhasa. The banner, which had become somewhat of a local landmark, read, “China Railway 11th Bureau – Accomplishing a Feat on the Snowy Plateau”.

At the beginning of 2004, my company undertook the construction of the Amdo-Lhasa section of the Qinghai-Xizang Railway. The last three Party secretaries on the project had all left due to medical reasons, and so I was whisked away from Lhasa, which is situated at an altitude of 3,600 m, and “flown up” to Amdo County, which is located over 4,700 m above sea level. Though others may have seen this relocation as some great tribulation, I felt like it was actually a godsend. As a construction professional, being able to take part in such a monumentally important feat of modern engineering is something one could only hope for!

One day in March 2004, I fought through heavy winds to arrive at the Amdo worksite for the Amdo-Lhasa section of the Qinghai-Xizang Railway. It was at this point that my life as a railway professional on the Qinghai-Xizang Railway began. We disassembled the Dongfeng 4 locomotive, the first on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, at the Xiushui River in Qinghai Province, and then transported it by truck to the Amdo worksite in Xizang. Once it arrived there, we reassembled the locomotive, which would then serve the construction of the Amdo-Lhasa section of the Qinghai-Xizang Railway. The installation of steel rails extended from Amdo to Lhasa, day after day, meter after meter. My colleagues and I played a part in the great history of Qinghai-Xizang rail engineering, something that carries immense significance and meaning.

When construction on the railway reached Lhasa, I had achieved my purpose as a part of history, and I left Xizang. Initially, I had assumed my time as a railway professional in Xizang had come to an end. I never imagined that in 2018, after the two previous commanders for the Lhasa-Nyingchi railway project left due to medical reasons, I would be chosen to fill the position. I was a little apprehensive. On one hand, I could hear the call of the plateau. On the other, having contracted several disorders due to prolonged exposure to high altitudes, such as polycythemia and hypertension, I was no longer well suited to working on the plateau. I expressed my concerns to my company’s general manager Zhang Shuhai. He encouraged me, “Just go ahead, and you can always let us know if there are any problems!”

At the end of April 2018, I proceeded without hesitation to Lhasa, to the Lhasa-Nyingchi railway worksite. There were many challenges when I arrived on site, and the situation was dire. I did not even have time to catch my breath before I was thrown into the thick of things. I spent several days and nights tackling the outstanding problems, doing everything within my power to advance progress on construction and production. Thanks to the hard work of everyone there, we completed major milestone goals pertaining to prefabrication of sleepers, resumption of work and production on the prefabricated bridges, and formal track-laying.

On July 26, 2018, Premier Li Keqiang came to evaluate construction progress on the Lhasa-Nyingchi section of the Sichuan-Xizang Railway. He walked into the Gala Mountain Tunnel we had constructed at an altitude of about 3,650 m, kneeling down twice to inspect the quality of construction. He said that the highest degree of perfection must be achieved. The Premier also addressed the workers compassionately, saying that the altitude here was very high, and that even standing still felt like carrying a heavy burden. He added that, for us to exert ourselves so heavily for this work, we really had to take good care of ourselves. The Premier emphasized that the Lhasa-Nyingchi section was a vital part of the Sichuan-Xizang Railway, and that upon completion, it would join the Qinghai-Xizang Railway as yet another major artery of rail transport between the nation’s heartland and the “roof of the world”. Not only would it decrease the physical and developmental gap between Xizang and the country’s hinterland, but it would also reduce the psychological gap between them. The Sichuan-Xizang Railway contributes greatly to Xizang’s development and environmental protection. It was the dream not only of the people of Xizang, but the entire nation. With this work came great responsibility and a brilliant duty. He hoped that we would commit ourselves to ensuring this project was completed to the highest of standards so that it would become a great feat of engineering which could stand the test of time. The Premier’s remarks lifted our spirits to new heights. Every aspect of our work saw improvement, and the construction of the railway progressed rapidly.

However, the plateau was still the plateau, and because of my reaction to long-term high-altitude exposure, as well as the massive amount of work, I suffered serious medical issues. In April 2019, I collapsed at the worksite. A hospital examination showed that all of my vitals were at dangerously high levels. I absolutely could no longer continue working at high altitudes, and would need to immediately leave the oxygen-deficient environment. My superiors decided to send me back inland to receive treatment, and so I ended up leaving behind the Lhasa-Nyingchi railway worksite.

Even though I am no longer in Xizang, just like many others who have ever spent time working in Xizang, I keep close track of all news relating to Xizang and am easily moved by the things I hear about the region.

It is heartwarming to recall that during my time working in Xizang on the Qinghai-Xizang and Lhasa-Nyingchi railway projects, I just so happened to snap a few pictures here and there to be left behind as lasting memories.

Wang Quanquan

January 23, 2024