Why is Fan Zhenxi called the "Iron Man of Farmers"?

Fan Zhenxi (first from right) learns about the operation of new equipment at an enterprise (photographed on September 26, 2012). He served as village Party secretary for 29 years and fought blood cancer for 25 years, during which he also suffered from myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction and other diseases, narrowly escaping death time and again. With the firm belief that "I will not rest until my fellow villagers live a good life," he fought against illness, faced poverty head-on, and dared to shoulder responsibility. Despite his illness, with iron-like perseverance he united the leadership team and led Party members and all the villagers to rely on their own efforts, without waiting or depending on others, and turned a poor and backward small mountain village into a shining pearl in the Yanshan Mountains. He is Fan Zhenxi, a delegate to the 16th, 17th and 18th National Congresses of the Communist Party of China, a National Outstanding Communist Party Member and a National Model Worker, Party secretary of Zhoutaizi Village, Luanping County, Hebei Province, known as the "Iron Man of Farmers." Xinhua News Agency

Fan Zhenxi (left) discusses enterprise development plans with a person in charge at an enterprise (photographed on September 26, 2012). He served as village Party secretary for 29 years and fought blood cancer for 25 years, during which he also suffered from myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction and other diseases, narrowly escaping death time and again. With the firm belief that "I will not rest until my fellow villagers live a good life," he fought against illness, faced poverty head-on, and dared to shoulder responsibility. Despite his illness, with iron-like perseverance he united the leadership team and led Party members and all the villagers to rely on their own efforts, without waiting or depending on others, and turned a poor and backward small mountain village into a shining pearl in the Yanshan Mountains. He is Fan Zhenxi, a delegate to the 16th, 17th and 18th National Congresses of the Communist Party of China, a National Outstanding Communist Party Member and a National Model Worker, Party secretary of Zhoutaizi Village, Luanping County, Hebei Province, known as the "Iron Man of Farmers." Xinhua News Agency

Fan Zhenxi (third from right) studies future village development plans together with members of the village leadership team (photographed on March 29, 2012). He served as village Party secretary for 29 years and fought blood cancer for 25 years, during which he also suffered from myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction and other diseases, narrowly escaping death time and again. With the firm belief that "I will not rest until my fellow villagers live a good life," he fought against illness, faced poverty head-on, and dared to shoulder responsibility. Despite his illness, with iron-like perseverance he united the leadership team and led Party members and all the villagers to rely on their own efforts, without waiting or depending on others, and turned a poor and backward small mountain village into a shining pearl in the Yanshan Mountains. He is Fan Zhenxi, a delegate to the 16th, 17th and 18th National Congresses of the Communist Party of China, a National Outstanding Communist Party Member and a National Model Worker, Party secretary of Zhoutaizi Village, Luanping County, Hebei Province, known as the "Iron Man of Farmers." Xinhua News Agency