Tengtou Village is a settlement in Ningbo City, east China's Zhejiang Province, covering just under 2 square kilometers. The village, with a population of less than 900, has been recognized for its distinctive, eco-friendly development.

Fu Pingjun, born in 1973, has been the Party secretary of the village for five years. The green development road is not an easy one and every new attempt costs extra effort. In 2019, he wanted to invest in new materials so as to change from the labor-intensive industries in the village. Many people disagreed with his ideas.

"We invested 277 million yuan (around $39 million) at that time. As a new material project, many people… villagers, cadres and investors were against it," Fu said.

"They said you've never done something like this. It's very risky. I said, this project will definitely earn money. But when we launched it in 2020, we lost over 5 million yuan in the first year."

Under great pressure, Fu worked hard and continued to believe it would succeed. During the toughest times, he slept just two hours every night. He researched how to upgrade the materials of new products, and then how to balance international prices.

Finally, in the second year, the project made its first profit. Later, Fu also wanted to build an ecological hotel in the village.

"I met with resistance to that as well. At that time, I wanted to open an eco-hotel with a piece of land in the middle of the village. The former secretary was very much against it," Fu said.

Despite repeated challenges, the efforts have paid off. A total of eight ecological hotels have been built since 2011, becoming the name card for the village.

The village has also been listed on the UN's "Global 500 Roll of Honor for Environmental Achievement," and the only rural example of an Urban Best Practice Area showcased at the Shanghai Expo.

Fu said the Tengtou spirit of plowing to the end and continuous innovation will never cease. Once we identify the goal, we must see it through.

Per capita income for each villager is now 75,000 yuan per year. There used to be a saying: "The road is rough, the grain output is low, and women will not marry into Tengtou Village." But now, the saying has been changed to "pockets and heads are rich together."

Far from the hustle and bustle, rural life is becoming more attractive, with a rich and colorful lifestyle. During his free time, Fu likes fishing or gets some exercise. He also ​meditates to help him calm down.

Fu was named a "National Outstanding Communist Party Member" in June 2021. His future plans include solar power generation and reclaimed water recycling system.

(Cover: Fu Pingjun, Party secretary of Tengtou Village in Ningbo City, east China's Zhejiang Province. /CGTN)