Zhen: Help others, Inspire oneself

BEIJING, Dec. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from China.org.cn on China's most popular character related to domestic affairs in 2023:

Recently, the Character and Word of the Year 2023 were unveiled. The Chinese character "zhen," which carries multiple meanings, was chosen as the nation's most popular character related to domestic affairs in 2023. Zhen, with "(扌) shou" as the Chinese radical, is closely affiliated with hand gestures.

In Chinese, it bears the meaning of "relieve and raise," while it could also mean "vitalize and inspire." Relieving others and vitalizing itself — a quintessential depiction of China in the year 2023.

This year, the world has stood at the crossroads of destruction and construction, competition and collaboration, as well as progress and relapse; China has reached a new starting point of economic recovery following three years of COVID-19 prevention and control. Confronting such complexity requires more vitality, which means sticking to the original aspiration and attaining progress under pressure.

In the past year, Saudi Arabia and Iran announced the resumption of diplomatic ties in Beijing after seven years of animosity and decades of political confrontation. Also this year, the Jakarta-Bandung HSR was put into use, making life and work easier for locals, while advancing the technologies at their grasp. Money, food and medicines were delivered to the hands of war victims in Gaza.

There were also juncao, or the fungus grass technology that Fiji regarded as the hope of agriculture for island states, Artemisinin that cut malaria occurrence in Comoros by 98%, and Luban Workshops that cultivated batches of technical personnel for partner countries… Each move has embodied how China shoulders its responsibility as a major country, contributing what it has and collaborating with other countries to lift more people out of plight and share the fruit of development.

Linked by the same green mountain that stretches, we share the storm that rages. That's what we mean when we talk about "zhen."

In the past year, the lives of the Chinese people returned to normality, with an array of policies covering employment, healthcare and so on being implemented in a thorough way. The rights and interests of the disabled and the elderly now enjoy further guarantee before the law, and minimum wage was raised in many provinces.

In the past year, China's economy has kept up a positive trend, with domestic demand steadily restored, fueling the come-back of heated tourism during vacation seasons; international trade has also been developing consistently, with growing momentum in the export of electric vehicles, lithium batteries and solar power batteries.

In the past year, China bore various major scientific fruits: Deep-sea manned submersible Fendouzhe (the striver), completing its first international deep-diving scientific research mission in waters surrounding Oceania; the C919, China's self-developed large passenger aircraft, successfully completed its first commercial flight.

"To tide over trials and difficulties, the key lies in revitalizing oneself and building confidence." Those who refuse to just take the easy path will succeed, and those who meet challenges head-on will progress. That's what we mean when we talk about "zhen."

What describes the year 2023 for China? Pressing ahead regardless of achievements or failures; benefiting people from home and abroad alike. And they are indeed what "zhen" symbolizes.

China Mosaic
http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm 
Zhen: Help others, Inspire oneself
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2023-12/29/content_116909692.htm