CCTV+: Stories of Xi and his mother: a parent's lifelong influence on her son

BEIJING, May 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — For Chinese President Xi Jinping, his mother Qi Xin has set an outstanding example in many ways for her son and played a crucial role in shaping the values and priorities of a future leader of the country.Qi, who was born in 1926, joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1943 at the age of 17, becoming a staunch supporter of the Party’s values and beliefs.

“Parents and seniors should pass on good morals to their children when they are little, helping them build moral integrity and a sense of goodwill, so that they can grow into a person who can contribute to the country and the general public,” she once said.

Qi led a simple life, which became a tradition for the family. Despite many difficulties, she managed to balance taking care of the family and her work.

Xi has cherished a lifelong goal in his heart based on his memories of illustrated story books his mother bought him about Yue Fei, a legendary Chinese general who fought against invaders to protect his people during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).

Qi told Xi, who was then around five years old, how Yue Fei’s mother tattooed her son’s back with four Chinese characters “jing zhong bao guo”, which literally translates as “serve the country with the utmost loyalty,”, so that Yue would never forget the responsibilities placed on his shoulders.

Being a loyal and loving son, Xi used to chat and take a walk with his mother whenever he had time. But to Qi, the greatest display of filial love was Xi doing his best on his job and serving the people wholeheartedly.

Over the years, Xi’s political career has taken him from Shaanxi in the country’s northwest, to Hebei Province in the north, Fujian, Zhejiang and Shanghai in the east, and eventually Beijing. In all those places, his work and contributions have been fondly remembered and applauded by the local people.

For Xi, family and family traditions have become a solid foundation in the process of state administration. Many years later, he still remembers his mother’s wisdom and firmly follows his original aspirations that she helped shape.