Wang Zizhong (fifth from left) promotes forest protection and fire prevention to his fellow villagers on March 10. ZHAO DONGSHAN/CHEN MING/FOR CHINA DAILY

In 1997, Wang Zizhong's wife passed away suddenly from a heart attack while on the mountains due to accumulated fatigue.

Despite the devastating loss, Wang Zizhong's determination to green the barren hills remained unshaken. He continued to live and work on the mountains, planting trees without pause.

Over the course of 42 years, the Wang family overcame numerous hardships and planted over 200,000 trees, including cypress, locust and poplar, covering more than 133 hectares.

Their efforts transformed the once desolate mountains into a big patch of forest, leaving behind an invaluable "green treasure" for future generations.

In 2002, the 50-plus hectares of forest planted by Wang Zizhong and his family were designated as a national public welfare forest. Wang Zizhong took on the responsibility of guarding the forest while continuing planting more trees.

In 2017, as Wang Zizhong grew older, he passed on the task of forest protection to his son.

Wang Tao, who had been influenced by his father since childhood, eagerly took up the baton, tirelessly working in the forests every day to continue the family's legacy of greening and protecting the mountains.