Yuguang's Spirit: The Foolish Old Man Moves the Mountain (Part 1)

  Yuguang Group's 60th Anniversary Series Report (Part 1): The Yuguang Spirit of "Moving the Mountains Like Yu Gong"

  Located in Jiyuan, Henan Province, Mount Wangyu is centered around its majestic main peak, the Altar of Heaven. Rising dramatically from the landscape, it is encircled by towering peaks and gently rolling hills that seem to cradle it from below—creating an awe-inspiring presence that truly embodies the "majestic aura of a king," evoking the image of "all feudal lords looking up toward the heavens." According to China's earliest geographical record, the *Yu Gong*, the mountain was named "Wangyu" because its shape resembles the grand residence of a royal ruler. It is also the very place where the world-renowned fable "The Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountains" took place. The statue of the determined old man tirelessly chipping away at the mountain stands as a powerful symbol, inspiring the people of Jiyuan to work tirelessly together in building their cherished homeland.

  In the picturesque Jiyuan lies a beautiful garden-like enterprise—China's "Wangyu" among lead companies, a true leader in the lead industry. Rooted in the timeless legacy of Yu Gong moving the mountains, it has forged the spirit of "Yuguang, the Hometown of Yu Gong; Green Journey from the Source of Jishui." This is none other than the renowned Henan Yuguang Gold & Lead Group Co., Ltd., celebrated both at home and abroad.

  Yang Anguo, Chairman of Yuguang Group, said: "Time may blur people's memories, but it cannot erase the indomitable spirit forged through hardship and adversity."

  Journalists who visited Yuguang Group were deeply moved—Yuguang employees truly stand out. Although Yuguang is a smelting enterprise, there’s no sign of the typical chaos or mess associated with such facilities. The workshops and factory buildings are spotless and brightly lit, while the areas surrounding them resemble serene garden landscapes. There’s no clutter or disarray to be seen—only lush greenery complementing vibrant blooms. On the faces of the employees shines a sense of happiness, perfectly capturing Yuguang’s "happiness index"—a testament to unity, harmony, determination, and a commitment to practicality.

  In 1957, how did the Yuguang Group manage to climb out of the valley and step onto the global stage? Through sifting through tens of thousands of interview notes, reporters found themselves immersed in the words of countless cadres and employees, realizing that it was precisely the enduring spirit of "Yugong moving the mountain"—passed down faithfully from one generation to the next—that has forged the "Yuguang Spirit" within the company.

  "The 'Yuguang Spirit' traces its origins to the winding path where donkeys turned a millstone. In Jiyuan, there’s a mountain called Gusaoshan, and nestled on its slopes is Xunchang Village. Within Xunchang Village lies Lao Donggou—a place that gave birth to Henan Yuguang Gold & Lead Group Co., Ltd., the predecessor of today’s Yuguang Gold & Lead Group: the Jiyuan Comprehensive Smelting Plant, established in 1957. Yang Anguo emphasizes that the history of Yuguang’s development should begin with the Xunchang Lead Mine, as it marked the very beginning of Yuguang’s journey—and is, in fact, the company’s spiritual birthplace."

  The Yellow River is China's "Mother River," yet the Xunchang Lead Mine is, in fact, Yuguang's very own "mother river." Tracing the mine's storied history—passed down through generations—we're moved by a spirit that continues to ignite progress at Yuguang: the legendary tale of Yu Gong moving the mountains, rooted beneath Mount Wangyu. Several elderly Yuguang employees, now in their eighties and nineties with silver-streaked hair, fondly recall the pioneering days of the Xunchang Lead Mine, their hearts filled with a complex mix of emotions.

  Yang Tinggui, nicknamed "Yang Dahui" (literally "Yang the Great Hammer"), recalls that when he joined the Jiyuan Comprehensive Smelting Plant in 1958, the facility already had a lead mine and a copper mine. The ore extracted was known as "chicken-coop ore," with lead content soaring above 90% at its peak. Back then, mining operations relied on basic tools like steel picks, two-pound hammers, and iron shovels—creating a scene described as "hammers swinging like raindrops, shovels scooping earth with lightning speed, and carts hurtling forward like rockets." Though conditions were incredibly tough, the work environment vividly embodied the spirit of "speed and passion." It was during this era that his colleagues bestowed upon him the endearing nickname "Yang Dahui," a fitting tribute to his relentless dedication and unyielding perseverance.

  89-year-old Miao Mianqing recalled: "In the early days of the factory, conditions were truly tough. The mine environment was extremely poor—its tunnels twisted and turned like snakes, low and cramped. The mine passageways were less than a meter wide and no more than three feet high; in some sections, they were just wide enough for one person to squeeze through. Miners had to bend over, their heads protected by old turtle-shell lamps, often crawling forward on all fours. Each hammer blow and chisel cut yielded only small chunks of ore, which could barely fit into cloth bags tied tightly around their bodies as they carried them out. It truly felt like dust was flying everywhere inside those lead-mining tunnels, making the journey out of the mine as winding and arduous as a snake's path." After the ore was brought out of the mine, it was carefully carried—load by load—on shoulder poles to Xunchang Village, located 2.5 kilometers away. At that time, miners humorously described the harsh living conditions in the mine as "wearing blower boots, manually operating a flour mill, while Zhu Chengxi, an esteemed former leader at Yuguang who happened to keep a rooster on-site, watched proudly from his perch." Back then, the ore extracted from those serpentine tunnels was first ground using donkey-powered mills, and then refined into lead through traditional earthen crucibles.

  It was under such harsh and challenging conditions that the pioneering generation, despite immense hardship, still managed to achieve remarkable results—achieving "quick returns with minimal investment." In 1958, 22-year-old Cheng Guanghua represented the Jiyuan Comprehensive Smelting Plant at a commendation conference held in Henan Province, sharing his valuable experience. As Cheng Guanghua carefully unwrapped the velvet pouch to proudly display the medal he had received years ago—now tarnished with greenish copper rust—he caught the reporters' eyes, revealing glistening tears at the corners of his eyes. Nearby, veteran leader Zhu Chengxi, deeply moved by Cheng Guanghua's heartfelt words, couldn’t hold back his own tears, which streamed down his face.

Memories still linger amidst a mix of emotions, touching the Yuguang people of the new era—and even moving the interviewing journalist. History is a clear mirror, and entrepreneurship embodies the enduring spirit of Yu Gong. Only by truly understanding and embracing this historical legacy can we elevate ourselves further; it is this very entrepreneurial spirit—like "a snake slithering past a donkey turning the mill"—that continues to inspire generations of Yuguang pioneers. Before 1969, Yuguang had largely remained focused on the production of crude lead. It wasn’t until 12 years later, in September 1957 when the first furnace of crude lead was successfully produced, that electrolytic lead finally emerged. From that breakthrough, gold and silver were extracted as well—perhaps it was precisely the discovery of these precious metals that ultimately earned Yuguang its iconic name: "Yuguang Gold & Lead."

  As Chairman Yang Anguo once said, the history of Yuguang should rightfully begin with the Xunchang Lead Mine. Indeed, the first generation of Yuguang employees who emerged from the Xunchang Lead Mine were the very ones who embodied and carried forward the spirit of Yu Gong moving the mountains. Deep within the towering mountain range stood Gusaoshan—where the Xunchang Lead Mine lay hidden. It was here that Yuguang’s pioneering miners relied on ancient tortoise-shell lamps for illumination, manually operated bellows to stoke the fires, and even donkeys to power the crushing machinery. Together, they prepared simple meals of steamed buns and boiled water—marking the humble yet groundbreaking start of Yuguang’s entrepreneurial journey. Though the 76 tons of lead produced in 1957 may seem modest today, this small but significant milestone symbolized the birth of Yuguang’s enduring legacy—and opened the door to the boundless ingenuity that would define its future as a trailblazing enterprise.

  Starting in 1964, while diligently focusing on lead smelting production, the Yuguang team began to think creatively and boldly. As the national economy grew and more mining and smelting enterprises emerged, the Yuguang people realized that miner's lamps were becoming a scarce commodity. Prompted by this insight, they decided to move away from the outdated turtle-shell lamps and instead embark on developing and manufacturing their own line of miner's lamps. Acting swiftly, they soon launched the R&D of the KS-8 miner's lamp—and by 1966, they had successfully completed a pilot batch production run, establishing an initial annual output capacity of 20,000 lamps. While the bulbs were sourced externally, over 80% of the more than 100 components required for the lamps were produced in-house. Later, they even introduced safety helmets equipped with built-in miner's lamps. This "side business" of producing miner's lamps, initially complementing their core lead-smelting operations, eventually expanded dramatically, reaching an annual output of 1.2 million units. As a result, Yuguang became the largest miner's lamp manufacturer in China.

The trial production and launch of mining lamp products enabled the company to break free from the limitations of relying solely on smelting for growth, successfully adopting the cross-industry production model that is currently being promoted. This move has paved the way for YuGuang's innovative "two-legged" economic strategy—shifting from a single-track approach to a more diversified one. Ultimately, this transformation has served as a crucial "guiding light," inspiring YuGuang to think creatively, explore new avenues for growth, and make rational, forward-thinking decisions that will shape its future development trajectory.

  Looking at the transformation of Yuguang Group's predecessor, Jiyuan Comprehensive Smelting Plant—from producing 76 tons of lead in 1957 to a total of 11,652 tons of primary lead produced by 1987, we can see that although the average annual output remained below 400 tons over those 30 years, production steadily increased year by year. This laid the groundwork for Yuguang's rapid development phase, which would follow another 30-year period from 1987 to 2017.

  "It sounds like a strange tale."

  It sounds like a funny anecdote.

  Let the shoulder pole bend your back as it will.

  Let the wooden clogs wear through no matter how much the soles are rubbed.

  ……”

  This is a lyric from "Yu Gong Moves the Mountains," and it also perfectly captures the true spirit of Yuguang's entrepreneurs as they embark on their journey.

  Looking back, the entrepreneurial spirit of the Yuguang people was forged in the rugged and arduous conditions of that era—honed by the older generation's unwavering dedication to the "Yu Gong Moves the Mountains" mentality. Armed with simple yet essential tools like iron shovels, massive hammers, steel chisels, donkey-powered mine carts, and crucibles, Yuguang miners advanced painstakingly through winding tunnels, hauling ore just as carefully on their return journeys. It was in these "twisting, turning, and crawling" maneuvers that they cultivated an unyielding resilience, ultimately shaping a towering, indomitable entrepreneurial spirit: "Where there’s no path, forging one is even harder—no wonder future generations can only marvel at your perseverance."

Interview Notes

  The resilient and extraordinary Yuguang people

  Crawling and winding its way forward—Gusuoshan Mountain, Xunchang Village Lead Mine, Laobai Lantern… Today, these names may sound like mere strangers, utterly incongruous with Yuguang Group’s prestigious ranking among China’s Top 500 enterprises and its acclaimed role as a pioneer driving the growth of China’s lead industry. Yet it is precisely these very names—and the indomitable spirit of perseverance embodied by the older generation—that have laid the solid foundation for Yuguang’s extraordinary achievements today.

  "Never forget the one who dug the well"—it was precisely during those three challenging decades, from 1957 to 1987, that Yuguang people burned with unwavering determination amid the "hammering like raindrops, shoveling like lightning, and pushing carts with rocket-like speed," embodying the spirit of Yu Gong moving the mountains. This relentless drive not only carried forward the legendary perseverance but also forged Yuguang’s profound corporate ethos of dedicating industry to national rejuvenation, laying a solid foundation for the company’s subsequent rapid and scientific development.