special>Lei Feng Spirit lives on>Selected Diary of Lei Feng

Editor's note

As China looks to an altruistic icon for inspiration amid a period of self-reflection, Lei Feng is back in the spotlight. In order to help you understand this legend, we offer this column to continuously publish selected parts from Lei Feng's diary starting March 5, 2012. March 5 became the official Learn from Lei Feng Day in 1963.

Read more about Lei Feng in our full coverage.

"What is the beauty of these times? The soldiers fading and patched yellow uniform, the soiled blue suit of the workingman and the big callused hands of the farmer are the most beautiful things. The sunburned dark faces of the laborer, the glorious sound of the trumpet calling them to work and the souls of the people who devote themselves to socialistic construction are the most beautiful things. All these things combine the beauty of these times. Anyone who doesn't think it is beautiful doesn't understand these times."

“什么是时代的美？战士那褪了色的、补了补丁的黄军装是最美的，工人那一身油渍斑斑的蓝工装是最美的，农民那一双粗壮的、满是厚茧的手是最美的。劳动人民那被烈日晒得黝黑的脸是最美的，粗犷雄壮的劳动号子是最美的声音，为社会主义建设孜孜不倦地工作的人的灵魂是最美的。这一切构成了我们时代的美。如果谁认为这并不美，那他就不懂得我们的时代。”