Thought Can Do For You
i: GET THE MATL DELIVERED ON TIME
“Countries: that are having trouble with their postal service could do worse than order a set of thé works of Mao Tse-tung for each and every one of the employees. The books would soon pay for themselves as is proved by the example and testimony of the 19-yearold Tibetan peasant Zungla, the first one in the village of Shigatse to take on the job of postman.
Life was hard for Zungla as the son of a poor serf under the old regime. With the 1959 "democratic. reform," as it is called in Peking, new perspectives opened up. He was able to” go to school. Then: in the spring of 1965 he was selected to be postman. ~
"On, his first trip he spoiled some newspapers, " reports 4 the May 14 Hsinhua. "He felt sorry because he had done his job badty. "
The aim of doing his gob well was laudable, but his’ horizon remained narrow. There was something behind it all which he couldn't grasp. "The question came to him: Why. is it that the people greet me with such warmth just because I have brought them some ‘letters — or newspapers? I worked just as hard in the old days, and I yet never once heard a single kind word.'"
People told him: "Today you are serving the people."
"Zungla read the article Mao Tse-tung wrote on this idea,". reports Hsinhua, "and came to understand how many had given their lives to liberate: him, to serve him, a Tibetan serf boy, and his people. As he thought about this in relation to his present task of bringing letters, ~information, culture and knowledge to the village people for the first time in their lives, Zungla felt a strong. “urge _to link his work with the whole cause of revolution.
~The results were truly magical.
"In 1965, he spent more than 100 days on the road, “walked a distance of 2,500 kilometers, made not a single mistake in delivery, and was prompt for every shift. His route involved crossing seven. icy rivers, and two mountain ranges, 5,000 meters above sea level. Neither the wild ‘bears and wolves, nor snowstorms could hold him up. In the rain or snow, he held the postbag close against his chest, underneath his coat."
Zungla had one advantage which Hsinhua fails to mention. Unlike an American postman, for instance, he did not have to carry any "junk" mail. No circulars, no advertisements, no greeting cards, no bulky newspapers or magazines; no packages from mail-order houses. Just important stuff like personal correspondence, party directives, party publications’ and so on. That was why he could get it all under
his coat. Still it was no easy job. With no tame bears. or wolves on his side, he really needed Mao's thought.
"Last November, Zungla ran into @ severe snowstorm while he was on the mountain. The snow was soon knee-high and as. he ploughed along: his:.shoes, soaked from his crossing of the river, were frozen stiff. and dragged. at. his feet. = ,
He could have sheltered until the storm was over, but that: ae would have delayed his arrival at the county town and made him miss”. the shift. =A
. "With 'serve the people' in mind, he wrenched off his shoes | and climbed on his way barefoot. He reached the office on time, and. there was at once met with appreciation and concern. The district - Communist party secretary gave him his own new shoes to wear, and: plied him -with piping hot tea. Z4ungla, whose childhood memories of days under serfdom were still vivid, felt the warmth of the Communist party and the people whom he served. ‘Whenever I think about this,' he later said, 'I feel I could move mountains. '"
No doubt he also chuckled about this neat way of prying a new pair of shoes out of the party apparatus. Unless, of course, he had to give them back when his.own dried out, or after the ‘story was written up.
What Mao's