Space Dream of a 70-Year-Old Farmer

Text by Ke Hao,Xue Ting & Cao Zhonghong Photos by Ke Hao

In the clear dusk of April 17,2019,a group of school-age children were playing cheerfully around an astronomical telescope on the lawn of Pandao Village Primary School in Meipu Town,Shiyan City,Hubei Province of Central China.Wu Shiying was crouching on the ground with one eye closed and one hand rotating to debug the telescope.

“Well,come on,line up one by one.”

“I have seen there are lots of pits on the moon.”

“Wow,that’s the Crater described in the books.”

The children shouted excitedly one after another.On the other side of the lawn,two little boys were playing with AstroSolar by Baader Planetarium inquisitively.These astronomical observation apparatus were all donated by Wu Shiying.

“I Don’t Have Much Schooling,but I’m Keen on Astronomy”

Driving from Shiyan on a distance of expressway,along the winding mountain paths for nearly three hours,we finally arrived at Pandao Village.The village is located between two ridges,relatively high on its eastern side,on which several white cottages lie halfway up the hill.That is where Wu Shiying’s home stands.

The house is dim and shabby,with few furnishings.However,an astronomical telescope covered in red cloth is particularly eyecatching.

70-year-old Wu Shiying is a thin man with a gray beard.He wears an old white shirt,a tattered fur vest,and a heavy jacket,his shoes are worn out and his trousers are rolled up high,a kind of a farmer’s style.

After graduating from middle school,Wu Shiying returned to his hometown to be a farmer.He killed his time as a teenager by looking up at the stars in the sky and by chance he found out the often told tale of Altair and Vega among the villagers.It inspired him to be keen on the dream of “chasing the stars and the sun” for the next 50 years.

In 1967,18-year-old Wu Shiying summoned his courage to write to Nanjing Purple Mountain Observatory and consult some experts on astronomical knowledge.In the 1980 s,Wu Shiying started ordering

Astronomy Fansmagazine and still has them in his collection today.

Since 1997,Wu Shiying has embarked on the journey of “chasing the sun.” In the last 20 years,he has traveled around the country at his own expense and even went overseas to observe solar eclipses.In order to save money,he scrimps every time he goes out,eating instant noodles and even sometimes sleeping on the street.

吳世英還來不及揭開鏡頭蓋，小朋友們便好奇地往天文望遠鏡里看。The children in the village looked for the stars through the telescope eagerly before Wu Shiying even uncovered the lens cap.

In the small mountain village of Northwest Hubei,many villagers do not understand why Wu Shiying lives the way he does,for they felt that it is more important to take good care of their families and live a better life.“I have always respected his heroic deeds,which he has held on to for most of his life and still loves it,” Wu Shiying’s granddaughter,Liang Xinjiao,wrote on her social media accounts that her grandfather has always been a “great hero” in her mind.

“I’m not much educated.I’m only keen on astronomy,” Wu Shiying told the reporter.Now,his most important goal in recent years has been to build an “astronomical observatory” on the top of the hill at the back of his home,besides “chasing the sun” and participating in astronomyrelated activities.

The World Is Beyond Us

We came up to the roof through a door at the back of Wu Shiying’s house.“This is my Pantaoling Observatory,” Wu Shiying joked,pointing to a cement platform.

“Let’s check out how my friends in the WeChat circles feel about my observatory.They are all concerned about the progress of it,” Wu Shiying told the reporter,showing his WeChat account on his mobile phone.He has made a host of astronomical friends during his travels all over the country in recent years.

天文課外活動結束，吳世英看著孩子們離去的背影露出欣慰的笑容。Wu was beaming with happiness seeing the children off.

Before it got dark,Wu Shiying had some work to do.He took a hammer,smashed a few times,and then a large piece of gravel fell down.His son immediately helped him in shoveling the rubble,despite his disability.After hammering a few minutes,Wu Shiying rested on a stone to catch his breath while his son kept on working.For more than a decade,Wu Shiying and his son have built this “observatory” by hauling sand,stone,and cement up the hill cart by cart.

“We can’t afford to hire workers,so we have to take our time.Look at these four cement pillars.When I complete them and cover the top with plastic sheeting,it will be complete.When the time comes,my friend Zhao Ming will come and help me adjust the facilities,and connect the computer and the projector so that the school children will be able to see the stars on the screen.”

Zhao Ming,whom Wu Shiying referred to,is the director of the Friends of Starlight Observatory,the largest private observatory in Hubei Province.They have got to know each other through participating in astronomical activities together.“Mr.Wu Shiying is the oldest astronomy enthusiast I have ever known.He plans to build an astronomical observatory by the end of this year.The astronomical telescopes,projectors,and computers are all ready.When the observatory is completed,we will help him install and debug it,” Zhao Ming said.

“The world is beyond us.” Wu Shiying said.He has limited knowledge to share with children,but he will do his best to give them access to astronomy.After the astronomical observatory is completed,he hopes that more children will be able to gaze up at the stars and explore the unknown.

(Translation: Qing Run)