The True Meaning of Striving Through the Eyes of a Post-00s Generation

In April, the winds in Tibet are biting cold, and the thin air at high altitudes makes breathing difficult. As a post-2000s generation, I had the fortune of visiting Jiuwu Hi-Tech's Zabuye Salt Lake lithium extraction project in Tibet to capture materials for the project and experience the frontline working environment firsthand. This short journey not only left me in awe of the plateau's grandeur but also gave me a deep appreciation for the dedication and greatness of my colleagues who have been steadfastly working here for years.

With Labor Day approaching, I would like to pay tribute to all the hardworking people through my experiences and observations.

The Journey to the Plateau and Measuring the Limit of Altitude

On April 20, I departed from Nanjing, transferred in Chongqing, and arrived at Lhasa Gonggar Airport. As soon as I got off the plane, mild altitude sickness hit me, making me breathless after just a few steps. After checking into the hotel that night, the altitude sickness worsened, and the pain in my head became unbearable. My smart watch showed that my blood oxygen level had dropped to 75%. Helpless, I had to rely on an oxygen tank to relieve the symptoms. That was my first night in Lhasa.

To adjust to the high-altitude environment, I rested in Lhasa for two days. Then, Deputy General Manager of the Tibet Regional Management Center, Peng Yuefeng, drove me to the Zabuye project, a 12-hour journey in total. We departed from Lhasa at an altitude of 3,600 meters, crossed the Sangmula Pass at an altitude of 5,566 meters, and traversed a desolate area with scattered rocks for tens of kilometers before finally arriving at the Zabuye project site at ten o'clock in the evening.

The Zabuye project is a pilot scientific research project with an annual output of 100 tons of lithium hydroxide. It aims to explore lithium extraction processes from salt lake brine and verify the technical feasibility of producing battery-grade monohydrate lithium hydroxide, thereby providing technical support for the feasibility research and design of large-scale industrial lithium hydroxide projects.

The Hardship and Persistence to Build a Silent Monument

After getting off the car at the project site, it was pitch black, and I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. Carefully crossing a deep ditch, I could see a row of white prefabricated houses, which were our accommodation at the Zabuye project. This would also be my first time living in a prefab house.

As I opened the door and entered, the prefab house swayed slightly with my footsteps, and the floor creaked. Turning on the light, the less than 10-square-meter room appeared particularly simple: against the wall was a bunk bed, a table and a chair on the opposite side, and three oxygen tanks and miscellaneous items on the floor. The room was cold, with only an electric heater and an electric blanket for warmth. Mr. Peng helped move the oxygen tank to my bedside, reminding me, "If the altitude sickness gets bad, take some oxygen and sleep."

He also joked that this prefab house was special; even company executives stayed here when they visited Zabuye, using the same blankets and heater, living the same life as we did. I was stunned for a moment, picturing the executives squeezing into this small room, and a warm current surged in my heart. Everyone, from executives to employees, stood shoulder to shoulder on the front line.

I asked about the living conditions. Mr. Peng said there was no place to shower; the dry toilet outside was the only sanitary facility. There was no running water; drinking water came from bottled mineral water. Meals were usually simple, often just instant noodles. Compared to April in Nanjing, with the willows swaying by Xuanwu Lake, bustling street food stalls, and hot water available at home, the life here was so simple that meeting basic needs was a challenge.

After a quick wash, I prepared to rest. Despite being covered with two layers of blankets, the cold air still penetrated to the bone, and I curled up as much as possible to keep warm. A slight turn would make the iron bed creak and the entire prefab house tremble, easily waking me up. I wanted to video call my family to assure them of my safety but realized my phone had no signal. The only sound around was the low hum of the electric heater, and after a tiring day, I soon fell asleep. I woke up multiple times during the night due to altitude sickness, my heart racing and head aching, finding solace only in the oxygen tank. This was my first night on the project, tossing and turning, full of thoughts.

The next morning, pushing open the door revealed a breathtaking pure scene composed of the salt lake, snowy mountains, and straight roads. There were no bustling streets, bird songs, and floral scents under Purple Mountain like in April in Nanjing, only an endless deep blue sky, continuous mountains, and the magnificent salt lake. It was so quiet that I felt very small. Thinking about the frontline staff living here long-term brought a sense of loneliness. In Nanjing, people could visit malls, watch movies, or dine with friends on weekends, but here, with no entertainment facilities, life was as monotonous as a still painting.

Mr. Peng took me to shoot the project site. The distance from the prefab house to the workshop was not far, but I was already breathless. At an altitude of 4,500 meters with low oxygen levels, I had to stop and catch my breath every few steps. The daytime temperature dropped to -8°C, and despite wearing a down jacket, the cold wind still stung my hands. In April, the spring breeze in Nanjing was gentle, and people strolled in light jackets, with subways and buses criss-crossing the city. Here, there was no public transport, and even walking was exhausting. Shopping was even more troublesome, with the nearest store in the village requiring a car trip, necessitating advanced preparation of daily supplies.

The conditions at the Zabuye project are tough, with small prefab houses equipped only with basic necessities. During project operations, maintenance personnel often had to cram four to a room, facing challenging conditions of hypoxia and altitude sickness. I struggled for breath after a few steps, while frontline employees had to install equipment here, their hard work unimaginable. Compared to working in a company office, where one could turn on the air conditioner if cold, colleagues here persevered in the extreme cold, relying on electric heaters and blankets for warmth, facing challenges every moment of their life and work.

In fact, before I set off, I had no idea that the conditions on-site would be so harsh. Everyone thought that working on the project meant just overcoming altitude sickness, but that's not the case. Here, every colleague not only had to overcome difficulties in living, food, and travel but also endure extreme natural conditions and the loneliness of being far from their families. They exemplified the spirit of perseverance and dedication through their actions. Even in such harsh conditions, they maintained their enthusiasm and sense of responsibility for their work, ensuring that every aspect of the project proceeded smoothly.

Tribute to Workers: The Great Persistence in Ordinary Life

In Tibet, every trip is a contest with nature, and every project embodies the contributions of countless workers. The resilience of the frontline staff ensures the project's operation and contributes to the company's development. Across the nation, Jiuwu Hi-Tech's growth is also attributed to the collective efforts of numerous dedicated individuals.

On Labor Day, I salute all the project personnel and all Jiuwu Hi-Tech employees! Your hard work and persistence help the company forge ahead on the path of technological innovation and high-quality development. May you continue to write the magnificent chapter of the workers!