Officer amasses big Lei Feng collection

Lei Feng-related posters collected by Wu Xiyou are displayed in Fushun, Liaoning province. Picture taken on April 6, 2012. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Wu Xiyou [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Wu Xiyou, a 32-year-old company commander in the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Shenyang Military Region, is known for his large collection of Lei Feng memorabilia.

Lei Feng was a young Chinese soldier who died at the age of 22 and then became a cultural icon representing earnestness and service. In 1963, the squad in which Lei Feng had served was renamed in his honor by the Ministry of Defense.

Between 2005 and 2006, Wu was the 22nd leader of the Lei Feng Squad. He started his collection in 2002, when he spent 5 yuan to buy a comic book about Lei Feng. Since then he has collected approximately 1,800 Lei Feng-related items, including newspapers, books, posters, badges and various kinds of knickknacks with Lei Feng's images printed on them.

The collection cost Wu 30,000 yuan to 40,000 yuan, and he plans to present it to the public to help people learn more about Lei Feng after he retires from the military.

Now he keeps his collection displayed in a room at his army company in Fushun, Liaoning province.

The "Learn from Comrade Lei Feng" campaign started on March 5, 1963, and since then "Learn from Lei Feng Day" has been marked every year on March 5.