Chinese Terminology: Industrial evolution in 70 years
Updated 22:33, 27-Sep-2019
Jasmine Cen
04:00

When the People's Republic of China was established in 1949, its production capabilities were very far behind its competitors. It was quite difficult to manufacture something as small as a nail efficiently.

At the time, the new socialist country could have used a little bit of extra help. That's where its "big brother" – the Soviet Union – came in. The Soviets helped with technology and sped up China's ability to manufacture goods. It revolutionized China's heavy industry. From one nail to lots of nails…

But the ambition was way bigger than this. The country initiated a "huge steel-making campaign."

Iron and steel items were collected for national steel production. People devoted piles of nails to the campaign. Pots, bikes, and any other steel items were also part of the effort. It was a bit overwhelming. It even had its own slogan, called "Surpassing Britain and Catching up with America." Rather than seeing it as a realistic production goal, it was an expression demanding industrial advancement and patriotism.

It was all for the greater good and more nails later on.

As the times required, economic planning came in to paint the bigger picture. This was called "The Five-Year Plan." The first one was laid out in 1953. It included long-term planning for the allocation of resources, and major development projects. Earlier on, the focus was on heavy industry.

Making steel was no longer enough. Then, Daqing came along.

Daqing is a city located in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. A decade later, it became a role model for oil production.

The Daqing oil field was discovered in 1959. Oil exploitation began the following year. China's Iron Man was born, as the times needed. The man, Wang Jinxi, was the one leading efforts to dig out the first well. The drilling machine arrived at the scene, but couldn't reach the designated position. Iron Man used all his manpower to transport the equipment. "In Industry Learn from Daqing" was a spirit that emerged due to the efforts of China's Iron Man. This hard-working and never-give-up spirit inspired generations of Chinese people.

As the country began opening up and reforming, Chinese leaders realized that focusing only on manufacturing was not enough. Industrial upgrades also required advanced tech and knowledge. "Ke Jiao Xing Guo," meaning "enliven the country by developing science and education," was coined in 1992. The concept suggested that only when solid science and education are guaranteed would efficiency and productivity in industrial production be ensured.

In China, many see themselves as a nail. Coming from all walks of life, an individual effort can be quite dull. However, when millions come together, great things can happen. All the milestones of the past could not have happened without the efforts of generations of Chinese. So, don't look down upon the nail! It could play quite an important role in the bigger picture.