By Chen Aonan, Ren Ye and Chen Minying in Changsha

A group of elegant-looking buildings, located in No. 42, Zhengxing Road, Lei Feng Street, Wangcheng District of Changsha, looks particularly solemn and respectful among the cypress and pine trees. These buildings are known as the Hunan Lei Feng Memorial Hall. This is the birthplace of Lei Feng, and also where he spent 18 years of his 22-year life.

(资料图片仅供参考)

Lei Feng was born during the pre-liberation period of China. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Party and the government gave him a piece of land, a house and an opportunity to receive education. A seed of gratitude was planted in young Lei Feng’s heart. He dedicated his whole life giving back to society and those in need.

In a display case of the Hunan Lei Feng Memorial Hall, you can see a faded deposit slip sitting on the shelf. The deposit is dated June 18, 1960, which was a fixed period of six months. It was the only deposit that he had ever made. The amount was 200 yuan, which he had saved bit by bit from working in a steel mill and serving in the army.

Before the term of the fixed deposit slip was up, Lei Feng went on a business trip on September 9th when he saw people beating on drums and gongs to celebrate the establishment of the People’s Commune of Wanghua District in Fushun City. Lei Feng decided to donate the money to People’s Commune. He said:“This money was given to me by the people, so let it help the cause for the people.” After hearing Lei Feng’s touching request, the commune agreed to accept 100 yuan from his offer.

Not long after, Lei Feng heard that the Liaoyang area was hit by a catastrophic flood, he donated the remaining 100 yuan to the people affected by the disaster. In the end, Lei Feng donated every last bit of money he had saved.

In March of 2010, the military branch where Lei Feng served, launched the start to “renew Lei Feng’s deposit”. Donations were deposited into this account from all corners of the nation, which were signed with only two words—“Lei Feng”.

长沙市望城区雷锋街道正兴路42号，座落着一群庄严典雅的建筑，在翠柏苍松之中，显得格外庄重、肃穆，这就是湖南雷锋纪念馆。这里是雷锋的出生地，雷锋22年的短暂生命历程有18年是在望城度过。

雷锋，出生于苦难的旧中国。新中国成立后，党和政府分给了他土地、房屋，还给了他上学接受教育的机会。这在他的心里种下了一颗感恩的种子，他的一生都在回报社会与人民。

在湖南雷锋纪念馆的展柜里，静静地躺着一张泛黄的存款单，存入时间是1960年6月18日，定期半年，存款人——雷锋，这是雷锋一生中唯一一张存款单。存款单上的200元，是雷锋从钢铁厂到部队一点一滴节约下来的。

定期的半年时间还没到，9月9日那天，雷锋出差办事，看到人们在敲锣打鼓的庆祝抚顺市望花区人民公社的成立，雷锋决定将这200元钱取出来给公社。他说：“这钱是人民给我的，就让他为人民的事业发挥一点作用吧。”在雷锋的苦苦要求下，公社只好收下其中的100元钱。

不久后，雷锋听闻辽阳地区遭受了百年不遇的特大洪水，他又把剩下的100元捐献给了灾区的人民。就这样，雷锋省吃俭用攒下来的200元，全部都被他捐了出去。

2010年3月，雷锋生前所在团党委向社会发起了“续存雷锋存折”的倡议，一笔笔捐款存到了这个账户，它们的署名都只有两个字——“雷锋”。