barren land garden

From barren land to a garden of love

ByJustpaste.in

A simple comment from his wife inspired a Chinese man to transform a barren valley into a huge garden filled with colorful flowers.

The 80-acre valley is located in Chengdu, Sichuan Province China. Today it has become a beautiful flower filled home for Zhao Xiaolin and his wife, Yin Zai.

A promise inspired by his wife

Zhao got the idea in 2013 when his wife talked about her childhood memories in Beijing and shared how much she loved flowers. Her words inspired him to create a garden where she could enjoy flowers every day. He promised to turn the idea into reality.

He had no gardening experience

Zhao had no professional experience in gardening. Despite this, he sold his home bought land in a town called Zhuanlong and began learning how to grow flowers on his own. Over the years he collected seeds from different parts of China and other countries.

He continued working on the land for more than a decade.

From empty land to a flower paradise After years of hard work Zhao completely changed the landscape.  The area is now being described as one of the world’s largest hollyhock flower gardens.

The garden is open to the public and contains more than 700 varieties of hollyhocks.  It is also home to around 150,000 lilies and 100,000 Chinese hibiscus plants.

A love story that lasted 35 years

Zhao says his wife and flowers are the two most important things that make his life beautiful. The couple has been married for 35 years and does not have children. They now share their life with several cats and dogs.

Even after all these years they continue to exchange handwritten letters on birthdays and other special occasions.

What started as a simple conversation about flowers eventually became a remarkable garden and a lasting symbol of their love.

Similar Posts

  • | | |

    The silence of the state

    ByJustpaste.in

    Al Jazeera’s digital domain was restricted in Pakistan following its critical coverage of regional unrest and local election turmoil. Pakistan had become the second country after Israel to ban the Qatari broadcaster. While the statement makes for a soundbite, it oversimplifies both history and the mechanics of state censorship. In reality, the history of sovereign states attempting to mute inconvenient journalism is long, systemic, and filled with precedent. The Reality Behind the Headlines The recent digital restrictions in Pakistan emerged after the network broadcast extensive ground coverage of civil protests, Internet shutdowns, and election-related violence in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. State authorities responded by accusing the international news organization of yellow journalism and selective reporting. Shortly after, users across the country reported that the network’s website had become inaccessible. Repeated bans on Al Jazeera However, this action makes Pakistan the first nation to follow Israel’s 2024 ban overlooks press suppression. Over the past two decades, Al Jazeera has faced repeated office closures, revocations and total broadcast bans across numerous jurisdictions. Egypt (2013): Following political upheaval, the government shut down the network’s local operations and detained several of its journalists under allegations of threat to national stability. The Gulf Blockade (2017): During a severe diplomatic rift, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Jordan blocked the channel’s signals and shuttered its regional bureaus. Israel (2024): Emergency legislation empowered authorities to halt local broadcasts, raid offices, and seize transmission equipment over national security claims. Far from being a rare sequel, the administrative impulse to silence an uncomfortable mirror is an old story retold. The Architecture of Banishment In literary traditions, the suppression of speech is rarely about the words themselves; it is about who holds the authority to define reality. George Orwell  observed in 1984 that the primary goal of totalitarian control is to limit the perimeter of thought by controlling the historical record. When a state apparatus brands unfavorable reporting as inherently fraudulent or subversive, it engages in an act of narrative containment. The label of yellow journalism becomes a rhetorical wall. This label shield the public from realities that disrupt official consensus. This dynamic reflects the bureaucratic absurdity depicted in Franz Kafka’s The Castle, where an elusive authority governs from above while remaining immune to direct questioning. In Kafka’s vision, the citizen is caught in a maze of unwritten rules and opaque decrees, where seeking transparency is treated as an act of insubordination. When digital portals are quietly restricted without formal public legislation or explicit judicial oversight, the state operates within a similarly Kafkaesque realm. The silence itself becomes an instrument of governance. The Illusion of Total Control There is a profound irony in modern media suppression. In classical literature, exile was absolute. A banished figure like Ovid was removed physically from the city center, their voice fading at the empire’s edges. Today, however, censorship in a hyper-connected world is an exercise in futility. Blocking a website or pulling a broadcast signal rarely extinguishes the narrative. Instead, it often draws greater international scrutiny to the very events the state wished to obscure. A phenomenon akin to the Streisand effect.   When governments resort to digital blockades, they reveal a fundamental fragility. True political stability rests on the capacity to withstand criticism.  To edit reality is like trying to stop the tide by breaking the hourglass. The water continues to rise, and the story, inevitably, finds another way to be told.

  • HEC new weighted policy: putting weight on research credibility

    ByJustpaste.in

    By Ali Abbas Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC) new weighted research policy has surely raised an eyebrow among a few academics nationwide. Before further dissecting the policy and its implications, it is pertinent to understand the role of HEC as a regulatory authority, which can help clear the air to a greater extent. As stated, “Regulatory”, it is important to accept that the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan is there to implement quality checks irrespective of the decision being popular or unpopular. So, with this lens, it is easy to understand why HEC is weighing this bold step of assigning weights to authorship and what must have been the shortcomings in the previous policy, despite the earlier policy’s apparent benefits. The new policy values first authors and corresponding authors more, acknowledging a reward for the initiators and potential stakeholders in the event that there are more than 3 authors. While HEC is not stopping co-authorship, it aims to credit researchers who have genuine contributions and are adding value as a lead or major contributor. It is entirely up to contributors to choose the number of other co-authors and their desired contribution and commitment in the research article. In fact, this should rather be seen as a measure of transparency that researchers who are expecting to get fewer marks for co-authorship will be doing less work in contrast to the first author. That can actually act as a yardstick for them to allocate their time to multiple projects to get their respective share/ count. However, not to undermine the researchers whose genuine intent surrounds a higher number of publications in less time with real contribution, it is a welcoming sign for authors who stay away from relationship-based and aided research. So, HEC, being a quality custodian of education and research practices for HEIs, has come up with a stance to curb research mills, fraudulent research, and fake authorship, where publications in friends’ journals and contributions following quid pro quo are compensated. And one never knows when these researchers who have worked as co-authors or fall last in the author list make it to the classes; their share of knowledge and impact may be a concern at times as well. The problem is even bigger, as not only papers with 20+ authors can be found, but researchers are co-authoring in different fields that may be beyond cross-domain collaboration. This is where HEC might have to respond and find this weighted policy as damage control.  Well, this research’s credibility is not Pakistan’s dilemma only, but something that is a world issue in a higher education setting. And when HEC addresses these concerns, it might act as a benchmark for other nations’ education systems, especially for the education and accreditation councils of similar demographics. Whether one favors or opposes it, HEC has devised something that raises major concerns, and that is to curb the need to distinguish between real and fake contributors. Now comes the point of demotivating international contributions from this weighted system, as raised by the affected prospective contributors. Well, though not every policy can avoid its collateral, the overall gain may be exploited as well. It is to be remembered that international collaborators are not to be linked with those weights; they can continue to collaborate at any number in the author list as they used to be, i.e., first or second or third, etc. In this case, the logic for local authors will remain the same as stated above about their respective contributions and rewards. The time and effort can then help in identifying multiple avenues as well. Again, there are always two sides to a coin, and in the current dynamics, where co-authorship has appeared to be a business deal, the side with the assigned weights policy bears more weight. Also, on the other hand, the offset can be made by allocating funds and instructing HEIs to devote funding to Gold open access, thus accelerating the pace of the first-author research. All in all, the new policy hints at increasing competitiveness and research credibility while leaving it to the test of time to see if it turns out to be a value addition for researchers by choice or by chance. About the author: Ali Abbas, PhD, works at Beaconhouse National University. He can be reached at aabbas724@gmail.com

  • Why Women’s mental health matters

    ByJustpaste.in

    Senior Pakistani actress and film maker Rubina Ashraf has spoken about postpartum depression and the emotional challenges women may face during pregnancy and after giving birth. Rubina Ashraf recently appeared as a guest on the television show Good Morning Pakistan where she discussed women’s mental health and the importance of emotional support during pregnancy and motherhood. She said that in the past, mental health problems linked to pregnancy and childbirth were often not taken seriously.  Society usually treated childbirth as a normal responsibility of every woman without fully understanding how difficult the experience could be for some mothers. The actress explained that pregnancy brings many physical changes to a woman’s body including changes in the skin weight and overall health. Along with happiness these changes can sometimes cause stress anxiety and emotional pressure. She added that a lack of proper care and support during this period may make a woman more vulnerable to serious emotional difficulties including postpartum depression. Rubina also highlighted the importance of a husband’s love care and understanding during pregnancy and after childbirth. She said that managing physical changes household responsibilities  and caring for a newborn can be challenging so emotional and practical support from a partner can make a big difference. Her comments also highlight the need to take women’s mental health seriously and ensure that new mothers receive proper care understanding and support.

  • Treatment of stress

    ByJustpaste.in

    Meer Baloch Through the columns of your respected newspaper, I would like to draw attention to the growing problem of stress. Nowadays, many people suffer from stress because of studies, work, financial problems, and family issues. If stress is ignored, it can affect both mental and physical health. People can reduce stress by getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, eating healthy food, and spending time with family and friends. Meditation, prayer, and talking to a trusted person or a counselor can also help. Those who suffer from severe stress should seek professional medical treatment. I request the concerned authorities and health organizations to organize awareness programs so that people can learn how to manage stress and live healthier lives.

  • Gym and height myth or fact?

    ByJustpaste.in

    You may have heard people say that going to the gym or lifting weights can stop your height from growing.  Because of this belief some young people avoid exercise and weight training. But is this really true?  Let’s find out. Going to the gym has become very popular among people who want to stay fit and healthy.  Some people exercise to lose weight while others want to gain muscle and strength. Gym workouts are especially popular among young people. However several myths about weight training still create confusion. One common myth is that going to the gym at a young age can stop height growth. This belief is especially common among teenagers and young people between 18 and 20 years old. Can weightlifting stop height growth? Many people believe that lifting heavy weights at a young age can prevent the body from growing taller especially when a person carries heavy weights on their shoulders. However there is no strong scientific evidence that normal strength training stops a person’s height from increasing.  Weightlifting itself does not automatically stop growth. However young people should be careful when doing heavy workouts.  Using too much weight or exercising with the wrong technique can cause injuries.  Younger people should learn proper form and when possible exercise under the guidance of a qualified trainer. What actually affects height? A person’s height is mainly influenced by genetics. Hormones nutrition sleep and overall lifestyle can also play a role in healthy growth.if the body does not produce certain growth related hormones properly it can affect normal development. Poor nutrition can also prevent the body from getting the nutrients it needs for healthy growth. The body also contains growth plates which are areas near the ends of certain bones that help bones grow longer during childhood and adolescence.  These growth plates naturally close as a person reaches physical maturity. Therefore going to the gym does not simply stop height growth.  A healthy diet proper exercise enough sleep and safe workout techniques are more important for overall growth and fitness.

  • |

    A portrait of the artist as a young man

    ByJustpaste.in

    James Joyce published A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in 1916. He did far more than tell the story of a boy growing up in Dublin. He revolutionized the modern novel. As Joyce’s first published novel, Portrait serves as a crucial bridge between classical nineteenth-century storytelling and the radical experimentation of twentieth-century modernism. Over a century after its release, this intimate novel remains a timeless exploration of identity, intellectual rebellion and terrifying price of personal freedom. Sensory Stream of Consciousness The novel follows Stephen Dedalus who’s a thinly veiled avatar for Joyce himself from early childhood through his late adolescence and college years. The book opens not with traditional exposition, but with a sensory stream of consciousness. The baby talk, the texture of a bedsheet, the smell of oilcloth, and songs sung by his family. As Stephen grows, so too does the language of the book. Joyce evolves his prose style alongside his protagonist. He transforms the narrative voice from simple baby phrases into highly philosophical and poetic language as Stephen matures into a young scholar. Extreme Religious Devotion At its core, Portrait is a profound meditation on the heavy burdens of tradition. Growing up in a strictly Catholic, politically fractured Ireland at the turn of the twentieth century, Stephen finds himself trapped between competing pressures. He witnesses fierce family debates over Irish nationalism. He also suffers harsh physical punishments at strict Jesuit boarding schools. Ultimately, he struggles with agonizing guilt over his emerging teenage desires. A central turning point of the novel occurs during a harrowing religious retreat, where a priest delivers a vividly detailed sermon on the eternal torment of Hell. Paralyzed by fear, Stephen briefly attempts a life of extreme religious devotion, only to realize that spiritual conformity destroys his true self. Creative Freedom Over Compliance Stephen’s ultimate breakthrough doesn’t come from religiously pious self . It’s from art. In one of the most famous passages in modern literature, Stephen walks along the shore and catches sight of a young woman wading in the water. Stephen doesn’t see her through a lens of sinful desire or religious symbolism. Rather, he sees her simply as an embodiment of pure, mortal beauty. This aesthetic epiphany awakens his true calling. Now, he must break free from the traditional network of family, church, and nation that seek to hold him back. To become an artist, Stephen realizes he must embrace exile. Thus, he must chose solitude and creative freedom over compliance. Joyce’s genius lies in his ability to make Stephen’s internal struggles feel deeply universal. Anyone who has ever questioned the beliefs they were raised with, felt out of place in their own community. They strived to forge an independent identity will find a powerful reflection in Stephen’s journey. His famous declaration near the end of the book to forge in the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race is a bold rallying cry for personal independence. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is not just the story of one young man’s transformation in turn-of-the-century Ireland, but a brilliant testament to the courage required to think for oneself and forge a truly unique voice in the world.  

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *