chinamind

The pictures and news of President Hu Jintao taking the newly completed subway on his one-day Beijing tour Wednesday have again captured the world attention immediately after he reviewed the military might at the National Day's grand ceremony and concluded a flurry of international presences at U.N. general assembly and G-20 Summit at the end of September.

But what impressed the Chinese public this time is not President's closeness to the grassroots, but the parlance of working class President Hu used in his conversation with some overseas Chinese tourists in the Summer Palace----"Let's work hard together fighting for a strong and prosperous nation and a rich people. We'll strive on for that goal." he said. But he used "da pin"---- the street parlance meaning arduously struggling or striving for some goal.

"Da pin", the popular expression, frequently heard and easily repeated among the toiling Chinese people, was unexpectedly echoed by the President, bringing not only the surprise but a great mirth to even the audience in front of TV screen. And what is behind the hearty laughter is the gratitude for the knowing and understanding from the leadership toward those who are struggling for a better living.

At the mention of "da pin", the overseas Chinese who started up from scratch must have untold "da pin" stories creeping up their mind, as in their "da pin" or struggling days, to survive is to struggle, and to better the conditions means to struggle on.

For the millions of migrant workers floating in urban areas, "da pin" has become their everyday have-to, struggling even without a breathing spell for survival and livelihood of their families. And for those fresh from college, only through "da pin" can they gain place in society. It seems no surprising everybody, President included, is involved in the fight of "da pin" for a better tomorrow.

The Chinese nation is also emerging out of the countless painstaking "da pin" and now still rolling ahead with difficulty on the road to the peaceful rise. The national pride rekindled inside every Chinese by the grandeur of military parade will by no means water down the sense of crises and hardships lying ahead, now that the country feeding the world's largest population is striving to revive its strength as a leading part on the world arena.

The fact that China is increasingly global-going and becoming more assertive in partaking and handling international affairs will never wipe out the gap, which is also narrowing but far from fully bridged, existing between China and the developed world. After all, China is still a developing giant, and in terms of economy as well as science and technology, still lags behind the highly modernized nations.

Even though the majority of the Chinese population is assured of ample food and clothing, thanks to the 30 years of galloping economic growth, the still infertile soil for public education and cultural construction can hardly breed a flourishing modern civilization, and the still high proportion of illiterates can also pose a barrier to a general social progress.

Looking back at the achievements attained in the past, China will never just pause at the threshold of dreaming to be a stronger nation, but it will continue to "da pin" to make the dream come true. Having the whole world in view, China will have to find out where it falls short compared with the developed world and strive hard to catch up.

"You will succeed only if you ‘da pin' or strive for what you want," as in the words of a popular song. Only through "da pin", will the top brand of a strong, prosperous and harmonious nation with Chinese characteristics be created. China is making its way to that direction.

By Li Hongmei People's Daily Online