The footsteps of measuring the roof of the world

Since 2000, Liu Zhengping has dedicated nearly 25 years of his youth to the construction of railways on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau. He presided over and participated in the survey, design and scientific research of the Qinghai Tibet Railway, the Lahore Rizhao Railway and other projects, and was awarded the National Special Prize for Science and Technology Progress, the National model worker, the National May Day Labor Medal, Xizang Craftsman and other titles

At China Railway First Survey and Design Institute Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Tieyi Institute"), Liu Zhengping is known as the "Commander". He speaks in a gentle tone and always thinks carefully before speaking. People around me say that the commander doesn't have a leadership attitude

Compared to the honors he received, Liu Zhengping looks very simple. He is over 1.8 meters tall, with a tall and straight figure and a gray and white mixed flat head. On the basin rack in the office, there are enamel washbasins and towels with rust stains, specially designed for awakening the senses. The bag containing the USB flash drive was picked up from the market and printed with 80s style flowers. He likes noodles, whether it's from his hometown Xi'an or his workplace Lanzhou. In 10 minutes, you can solve a large bowl of stir fried noodles

During the interview, Liu Zhengping maintained a sense of order. He took out a stack of paper voluntarily, or drew a timeline to present events, or illustrated geological principles. Your own ideas should also be listed in layers, marked with small circle numbers of 1, 2, and 3. While speaking, consciously correcting: a certain point was not accurately mentioned earlier, and a small point logically belongs to a larger point

I am a perfectionist He always keeps his desk clean and refreshing, unable to tolerate messy materials and garbage. Continuing into work, this spirit becomes' striving for excellence '. This is not only about meeting the requirements of norms and technical standards, but most importantly, about meeting the standards in one's own heart. Often, one's own requirements are higher than technical specifications, which is my pursuit. "

Do what you do, love what you do

Liu Zhengping is 53 years old this year, and his WeChat profile picture is still a landscape photo taken 18 years ago. On July 1, 2006, Liu Zhengping boarded the first train of the Qinghai Tibet Railway that was fully operational. As he passed by the Qingshui River area in Kekexili, he looked up and saw the towering Kunlun Mountains covered in white snow, with vast grasslands stretching as far as the eye could see. He couldn't help but press the shutter button on his camera

In the seven years since the construction of the Qinghai Tibet Railway, his attention has always been focused on the work at hand. In his memory, this was the first time he enjoyed the scenery along the route quietly and attentively

Before the age of 29, Liu Zhengping never thought that the Qinghai Tibet Plateau would be deeply embedded in his life for a long time. He is a child from the northwest plain and grew up in Xi'an. My parents are farmers and I have an older sister and a younger brother at home. In 1993, after graduating from the Department of Geology at Xi'an University of Mining and Technology (now Xi'an University of Science and Technology), Liu Zhengping was assigned to China Railway First Institute, stationed in Lanzhou, responsible for geological exploration

At the beginning, choosing a major was more about survival. In the early 1990s, the coal industry was in a downturn, and the railway industry had just entered a period of great development. When Liu Zhengping was young, he had no grand plans, entanglements, or regrets. He walks forward in the face of the tide of the times, adhering to the plain philosophy of "doing what you do, loving what you do", and revering his own work. Geology (surveying) is very boring, but it has to support the family. Since you have chosen it, you must work hard. "

Work gradually became Liu Zhengping's mission, starting from 2000. At that time, China Railway First Institute began the survey and construction of the Golmud Lhasa section (later known as the "Golmud section") of the Qinghai Tibet Railway

Since 1955, this is the third time that China has carried out survey and design of the Qinghai Tibet Railway. Through the efforts of the previous two generations of railway personnel, the Xining Golmud section was opened to traffic in 1984. The construction of the Gela section has come to a standstill. Permafrost, extreme cold and oxygen deficiency, fragile ecology, and insufficient funds are all obstacles to the railway connecting Lhasa

More than a decade later, the national economic level has improved and research on permafrost has made progress. The task of the third survey is to determine the route of the Gela section and put the achievements of frozen soil research into engineering practice

As a member of the geological team rushing to the front line, Liu Zhengping was actually a bit confused. He has never been to the plateau and has no perception of the survival difficulties there. His preparation for coping is just to pack a few extra boxes of quick acting heart saving pills in his luggage

In the second half of 2000, the survey team began from Golmud and gradually explored the hinterland of the Qinghai Tibet Plateau. When we arrived at Wudaoliang in August, the altitude was already above 4500 meters

In the first week here, every day, some team members experienced severe altitude sickness and were sent back. Liu Zhengping also has a severe headache and breathes heavily while walking. One afternoon while washing dishes, he suddenly fainted and collapsed against the wall with his remaining consciousness. After taking oxygen and medication, it took more than an hour to wake up. Opening my eyes, I could only see what was directly ahead, and the remaining light disappeared. He later consulted a doctor and learned that it was a loss of vision, also known as optic nerve hypoxia. If you can't recover, you might go blind. "

Liu Zhengping, who is new here, is not so concerned about danger. He slept for a while, luckily his vision recovered the next day. He thought, if he persisted, it would pass

In order to investigate the detailed geological conditions and select the best route plan, the survey team waded through the piercing river water in the uninhabited area of Tanggula Mountain and carried instruments on a snowy day. Liu Zhengping quenched his thirst with the turbid river water and chewed Mantou with salted vegetables on the leeward of the hillside

Long term fieldwork also brings spiritual trials. There is no mobile phone signal on the plateau, and a team of more than forty people only has one satellite phone. The phone bill is expensive, and each person only has one chance to contact their family once a month, with a time limit of one minute. The shortest time, Liu Zhengping communicated with his lover for 8 seconds. Okay, it's nothing. "" Just be okay, stay here. "He also wanted to share his time with colleagues at home who had something to do

In April 2001, Liu Zhengping also fell into confusion. On the morning of my 30th birthday, there was a strong wind blowing through Wudaoliang, and yellow sand filled the sky. As usual, Liu Zhengping and colleagues from the drilling crew went to the site to arrange the drilling. Halfway through, it snowed heavily, so big that he couldn't open his eyes. They briefly hid for a while, then continued to work and didn't finish until around 8 pm. When returning to the military station, the sun on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau was still high, glaring and scorching. Liu Zhengping entered the geological data of that day into the computer until 10 o'clock when the power was cut off and the lights were turned off, and snowflakes were flying outside the window again

Liu Zhengping has a headache and can't sleep after tossing and turning. He borrowed a lighter from his colleague and wrote a seven character poem depicting the harsh climate of Wudaoliang using the flames. Until 12 o'clock, I still can't sleep. He ran to the restroom outside the yard and suddenly felt uncomfortable. I think I'm 30 years old and still working in this environment. People my age, living in the city, may actually earn a salary similar to mine, or even more than us. There's no cake or candles here, and the night is silent. Liu Zhengping flicked the lighter, blew it out, and repeated it 30 times, saying to himself, "Happy birthday to me."

He hesitated for a long time: after finishing his work in May, should he come back here again? When the last flame was extinguished, Liu Zhengping had the answer. The Qinghai Tibet Line should indeed continue to be built in the hands of our generation. For myself, taking over major national projects is both an opportunity and a challenge. I will definitely continue to build it