'Zhengding is like a second home to me'

"Zhengding is like a second home to me," Xi Jinping once expressed. "It's exactly where my political journey began."

Xi dedicated three years of service to Zhengding, a then economically challenged county in North China's Hebei province. From March 1982 to May 1985, he served as its deputy Party chief and later as Party chief.

Throughout his tenure, Xi led a modest lifestyle, often bedding down in his office on a makeshift arrangement of two benches and a plank covered with a well-worn mattress adorned with patches. His meals were consistently taken at the canteen, and he navigated the nearby area on a bicycle. Exemplifying self-discipline, Xi extended special consideration to retired officials, recognizing them as invaluable treasures for both the Party and the nation.

Even after departing from the county, Xi has remained invested in the development of Zhengding. He revisited the region at least six times, in 1991, 1993, 1997, 2005, 2008, and 2013.

Reflecting on his experiences during a 2013 tour of Hebei, Xi shared, "Being with comrades every day, engaging in conversations, contemplation, and collaborative work, gave me a firsthand understanding of the sentiments of the villagers."