New China's first female tractor driver: greatest wish is to attend National Day parade

In 1962, The People's Bank of China came out with the third set of Renminbi banknotes. The 1 yuan denomination featured China's first female tractor driver – Liang Jun. The first female tractor driver has devoted her whole life to farm machinery, thus becoming an icon of agricultural modernization in New China. Meanwhile, news about Liang, who drove a tractor to explore the wilderness soon spread, and people started to know that New China had its first female tractor driver.

The 1 yuan denomination featured China's first female tractor  driver – Liang Jun.

In 1962, The People's Bank of China came out with the third set of Renminbi banknotes. The 1 yuan denomination featured China's first female tractor driver – Liang Jun. The first female tractor driver has devoted her whole life to farm machinery, thus becoming an icon of agricultural modernization in New China. 80-year-old Liang lives in relatively obscurity nowadays, and as the 60th anniversary of the founding of People's Republic of China approaches, she is filled with emotions. When she was asked about her biggest wish, "My biggest wish is to watch the upcoming 60th Anniversary parade commemorating the founding of People's Republic of China," the old lady answered full of hope.

New China gave her a chance to change her destiny

Born in 1930 into a poor peasant family in Mingshui County, Heilongjiang Province, Liang was sent to live and work at a nearby landlord's family as a child bride when she was 12 years old. When she was 15, Heilongjiang was one of the first places that were liberated from Japanese occupation. Rapid changes in the newly liberated area helped her get rid of her fate of becoming a child-bride. Within this good atmosphere, lucky Liang received her education by the CPC.

In 1947, Liang went to a teacher's school –Mengya, or Developmental School in Dedu County opened by the Heilongjiang provincial Communist Party Committee, where students followed a work-study program. In the school, the novels she read such as How Is Iron and Steel Made, and The Girl Guerrilla, Liu Hulan, made a profound impression upon her. And a Soviet movie titled Heroine was very influential in her life. The movie tells a story based on the heroin Barsha who fight against the Nazi army to protect her country. The image of Barsha was deeply imprinted on Liang's mind.