After 14 years of dedicated service on the plateau, this Han Chinese cadre has grown into a trusted "family member" for people of all ethnic groups.

Zhu Xiaobing: "Ethnic unity is a concrete action."

"Ethnic unity is not an abstract concept, but a concrete action." Having worked in Changdu for 14 years, Zhu Xiaobing has a deeper understanding of ethnic unity.

The story begins with an encounter. At that time, Zhu Xiaobing, a young Han soldier, met Jiayong Quzhen, a simple and kind Tibetan girl, and they fell in love.

When Zhu Xiaobing first visited his future in-laws in 2006, he brought local specialties from Zhejiang, but he seemed a little reserved because he didn't know Tibetan etiquette. His future in-laws didn't scold him at all; instead, they held his hands and said, "Once you're here, you're family. You'll learn slowly."

This simple acceptance strengthened his resolve to spend his life with Jiayong Quzhen. After their marriage in 2008, the two lived apart until 2011, when Zhu Xiaobing, having completed 12 years of service, honorably retired and followed his wife to Changdu, where they settled down in eastern Tibet.

Upon arriving on the plateau, the biggest challenges were the language barrier and the different customs. To integrate into local life as quickly as possible, he carried a notebook with him, meticulously recording everyday Tibetan phrases and folk taboos, while his wife, Jiayong Quzhen, quietly served as a "cultural translator" in both work and daily life.

What he remembers most vividly is the tolerance of his Tibetan relatives and friends: knowing that he loves to eat fish, they always specially chose to hold the fish restaurant downstairs for every family gathering. Later, he learned that Tibetans rarely eat fish due to traditional customs. This silent accommodation made him take the initiative to adjust his dietary preferences and learn to make butter tea and tsampa with his family, truly transforming him from a "guest" into a "family member".

In the small haven of family, the cultural customs of different ethnic groups did not become barriers, but rather sparked warm moments through mutual respect and active acceptance. Every Spring Festival, Zhu Xiaobing and his family would put up bright red Spring Festival couplets, cook steaming dumplings, and warmly invite his Han friends to their home to taste authentic yak meat and ginseng fruit; while for Tibetan New Year, he and his family would clean the house, prepare the guthuk (traditional Tibetan offering), set out the chema box (a type of Tibetan offering), and sing toasting songs. The two New Year customs complemented each other beautifully amidst laughter and joy.

After being transferred to the Changdu City Mosque Management Committee in 2022, Zhu Xiaobing extended the practice of ethnic unity from his small family to the broader public sphere.

"The fact that Changdu has such a grand mosque is itself a vivid testament to the inclusive coexistence of all ethnic groups." Looking at the people of different ethnic groups coming and going in the mosque, he said with deep feeling, "Many people think that ethnic unity is a grand principle, but in fact it is everywhere. It is hidden in a greeting between neighbors, in lending a helping hand when encountering difficulties, and even more so in our respect for different cultures and beliefs. Working in the mosque is to make this 'everywhere' take root and let people of all ethnic groups feel the warmth of home here."

Upon assuming office, Zhu Xiaobing was acutely aware of the responsibilities he bore. Learning that the mosque had previously established a "National Unity and Charity Fund," he proactively took over the baton, leading the fund's operation and coordination. Since taking office, he has actively connected with resources and coordinated with various parties annually to ensure the fund's stable annual contribution of 60,000 yuan, adhering to the principle of helping those in need regardless of ethnicity or religious belief.

For 14 years, Zhu Xiaobing has dedicated himself to serving on the plateau, growing from a Han cadre into a trusted "family member" for people of all ethnic groups. He has demonstrated through his actions that ethnic unity is found in compromises at the dinner table, companionship during festivals, and a sense of responsibility at work, and even more so in genuine respect and tolerance between people.

This report was written by our reporters Gong Qiuqucuo, Wenkaipingcuo, and Langjia.

Source: Tibet Daily