2006年7月，中國僑聯(lián)主席林兆樞在一份報告上批示：“楊余律同志事跡感人，請浙江省僑聯(lián)組織力量繼續(xù)挖掘整理，好好宣傳，讓廣大的歸僑、僑眷和僑聯(lián)學習?！笔S聯(lián)聞風而動，通知瑞安市組織楊余律先進事跡報告團赴杭，于今年元月11日在省僑聯(lián)大會上宣講。

演講引起與會者強烈反響，人們感慨地說，在物欲橫流的今天，楊余律的心靈如此純凈真當不易，它像金子一樣閃閃發(fā)光！

鄉(xiāng)親貧困他心疼

楊余律1944年出生于浙江瑞安市桂峰鄉(xiāng)峰村。

這里與文成、青田交界，海拔700多米，崇山峻嶺，路陡土稀，自然條件十分惡劣。舊社會鄉(xiāng)親們饑寒交迫，紛紛舉起鋤頭鐮刀，跟著粟裕、劉英鬧革命，于是這里成了遠近聞名的革命老區(qū)。楊余律的爺爺叫楊壽雨，為人勤勞，讓血氣方剛的兒子楊益堂加入共產黨鬧革命，自己帶著孫子楊余律一起生活，他常教導孫子：“孩子呀，做人要勤勞，幫人要熱心，將來才有好報！”楊余律在爺爺樸素善良的教育下，幼小的心靈上灑下愛憎分明的種子。

新中國成立后，楊余律刻苦地讀完中學后回鄉(xiāng)擔任村團支書，他發(fā)誓要為家鄉(xiāng)盡心出力。那些年他抓掃盲、搞宣傳、發(fā)動青年入伍，跑遍鄉(xiāng)里每一座山頭，鄉(xiāng)親們稱贊他“心里裝著桂峰的男女老少！”他1966年入黨，1967年轉為國家干部，7年后被推舉為鄉(xiāng)黨委副書記。

由于歷史淵源，桂峰鄉(xiāng)有幾千人在歐洲謀生發(fā)展，成了浙南聞名的僑鄉(xiāng)。楊余律家有十幾個親戚在國外，親戚還把他的兒女也帶到荷蘭、意大利。

楊余律擔任了鄉(xiāng)民政員和鄉(xiāng)公安員后，一次他到歐洲探親，那里的鄉(xiāng)親們都握著他的手關切地問起家鄉(xiāng)的一切，這讓楊余律深切感到在國外的廣大華僑都有一個共同心愿，他們盼望家鄉(xiāng)盡快脫貧，好讓他們留在家鄉(xiāng)的老人和孩子在國內生活得更好！于是楊余律探親回國后，整日里與老人、窮人、病人、殘疾人打交道，長年登坳后，攀板寮，誰家有個頭痛腦熱、誰家缺米少藥他心里都有數，看到村民有困難他總是自掏衣兜里的錢，有時弄得身無分文連吃飯都成問題，鄉(xiāng)親們親熱地稱呼他為“及時雨”。底村的楊壽佑老人有病，楊余律每次到底都先去看他，塞給他幾百元錢；峰村的張威養(yǎng)患慢性病，楊余律每次去探望從來不空手，有一次他榮獲市計劃生育工作先進獎得了500元獎金，也硬塞給了他。老人們說，論地理條件桂峰最差，這里沒有公路，辦事全靠兩只腳，但民政局所發(fā)的“三老”補助款，楊余律不管刮風下雨、山高路險，年年都能逐戶送到，他患了關節(jié)增生和關節(jié)炎，老人們說那是他爬山過度走出來的。曾有親戚笑他：“人家是官越當越大，不提拔也調走了，你不但越當越小，還幾十年呆在山頭不動，真是十足的飯桶！”楊余律抿嘴一笑：“飯桶也有用。冬天下雪，沒飯桶你們得吃冷飯！”

楊余律一直干到2005年退休，在桂峰整整干了60年！他把一輩子都獻給家鄉(xiāng)，他做過好事千百件，僑胞們、組織上都夸他熱愛家鄉(xiāng)，赤子情懷！

知恩圖報愛國家

桂峰距城區(qū)60多公里，山道崎嶇，進城開會、辦事來回要兩三天！交通閉塞，桂峰怎么會不落后？“要致富，先修路?！惫鸱鍘状硕寂沃芡ü罚晃换貒焦鸱逄接H的老華僑十分動情地說：“等哪一天通汽車了，我每半年都會回家一趟！”

在眾多華僑的奔走呼號下，1992年開春瑞安湖嶺至桂峰的公路一期開工了，楊余律夫婦帶頭捐了5000元。那時候物價低，雞蛋每個一角，黃魚每斤才三元，他們夫婦倆一下子捐5000元，讓親友們大吃一驚，還以為是他們在國外的兒女匯來了。其實這5000元是老楊夫妻起早摸黑種菜養(yǎng)豬積攢起來的！他倆不但捐錢，還發(fā)動40多位僑屬、村民出錢出力，并且自己還扛著泥箕鋤頭去挖泥刨土抬石頭。有鄉(xiāng)鄰勸他：“你整天穿一雙解放鞋，死省。造學校捐10000元，造公路捐5000元，就舍不得買一雙皮鞋穿起來像個干部？”

1999年5月桂峰公路要澆柏油了。在募捐會上楊余律又帶頭捐了靠自己嘴巴里省下來的10萬元！他在會上說：“鄉(xiāng)親們盼著柏油公路，大家都該出力，我也應該出力！”他做出了榜樣，僑眷們一齊響應，有捐美元的、有送馬克的也有湊法郎送里拉的，一天就把百余萬元修路資金缺口填平了。鄉(xiāng)僑聯(lián)主席潘世敢拉住老楊的手直夸：“你為我們歸僑、僑眷爭足了面子！”

柏油路通車慶典那天，楊余律夫婦穿上新衣裳出席通車典禮。那天他破天荒地真的穿上一雙新皮鞋在柏油路上溜達散步，嘴里還樂得直哼哼：“要想富，先修路。山岙還得多種樹……”交通便捷了，楊余律愛鄉(xiāng)愛國的熱情不減，他把兒女們寄回的孝順錢都獻給家鄉(xiāng)搞建設，捐給慈善事業(yè)：建村委大樓、鄉(xiāng)小學翻修，他捐了5萬元，還帶頭捐款造起鄉(xiāng)敬老院，安頓著16位孤寡老人養(yǎng)老；峰木橋朽了，他連湊帶借擠出10多萬元造了一座漂亮的石拱橋，還在橋欄刻上“致富思源，富而思進”八個大字。有感于他的獻身精神，市政府將此橋命名為“楊余律橋”，僑胞、僑眷們一致推薦他為省、市僑聯(lián)工作先進分子。

一角一分靠儉樸

2001年瑞安市籌建慈善總會，楊余律得知后立即捐款1萬元，并說今后堅持每年至少捐1萬元。筆者在慈善總會搞宣傳，第一次見到他時不禁肅然起敬：只見他身穿舊衣、腳穿解放鞋，一個舊挎包磨得發(fā)了白，但他對公益事業(yè)卻如此慷慨大方！問他：“你總是捐款為別人，是怎么想的？”他笑著答：“助善積德快樂，吃喝嫖賭損壽！現(xiàn)在貧富差距大，當干部吃皇糧不能只顧自己忘了窮百姓啊！”

曾有人誤會，楊余律大方助善肯定有錢，或者是兒女們國外發(fā)大財了。其實楊余律主要靠節(jié)衣縮食，一分一分摳錢。他外出辦事全靠步行不“打的”，連三輪車也不坐。

一次我去他家，恰逢他夫妻在菜地里鋤草，我到他家的廚房飯桌上、菜柜里尋視一遍，只見一塊豆腐、一碗黑咸筍！聽說來客人了，他趕忙跑回家，左手抓著幾株新割的青菜訕訕地解釋：“多吃青菜，綠色保??！”還有一次我在瑞安商城門口碰到他，他一把扯住我，說要和我商量在自留地種冷杉、馬尾松與紅楓的事，說是等樹大了捐給公家建風景林，宣傳保護環(huán)境。我問他這得花多少錢？他說：“大約2萬多元吧?！狈N樹的事說著說著天已傍黑，他蹬蹬蹬跑到賓館后堂叫服務員端上熱騰騰兩大碗面：我面前是滿滿一碗排骨面，而他那碗卻是清湯光面！我怪不好意思，問他：“你怎么搞的？這錢我付?！彼纸忉專骸皠e誤會，我不習慣吃肉。青菜光面好吃。”說罷，低頭呼啦啦吃著他的光面，我頓時心中涌上一股熱浪。

就是這么個對自己吝嗇得過分的楊余律，2005年為捐建鄉(xiāng)文活動中心捐款竟達23萬元，感動得瑞安市長葉春江在捐款大會上摟著他讓記者拍照：“一個連三輪車都舍不得坐的退休干部，能為公益捐款上百萬元，說明他不僅愛鄉(xiāng)愛國，還有了不得的思想境界！”

就是這么個無私奉獻的楊余律，從2003年開始，每年“七一”交黨費1萬元。2005年兒女匯1.1萬元給他過60大壽，他又將此款交了黨費，筆者連夜將此事寫成《省下做壽錢，獻給黨生日》登上《浙江日報》，讓它傳遍省內外，他卻說我太張揚：“交黨費是黨員應盡的義務。”

2006年3月，楊余律說他風濕病重了，5、6月得去上海為兒子辦事，為女兒辦房產證，今年黨費早點交。我問他交多少，他笑而不答。第二天我才知道，他交了6萬多元，他三年總共交黨費10.111111萬元。我不明白他為什么弄出這么多尾數？打電話問他，他說“你數一數，幾個一？”“七個一?！薄皩ρ剑邆€一，正是黨的生日。今年是建黨85周年！”老實巴交的楊余律不善言辭，他把心中無限深情，化作對黨的深深祝福！

新蓋的樓房也捐了

最為令人感動的是，2006年楊余律夫婦把新造的960平方米大樓捐贈作鄉(xiāng)僑聯(lián)活動中心。

原來楊余律夫婦曾經立下志愿，此生要為公益事業(yè)捐贈200萬元。早先兒女們在國外開始營生不易，夫婦倆靠節(jié)省捐了個萬兒八千，新世紀降臨后兒女們事業(yè)發(fā)展，匯給二老的孝順錢多起來了，于是他們開始為修橋鋪路5萬、10萬地捐。那天在鄉(xiāng)里聽領導說鄉(xiāng)僑聯(lián)缺活動學習場所，僑胞們回來探親急需一處現(xiàn)代化住所時，楊余律心中霎時一動：動起了將自家新造大樓捐獻的念頭。他想兒女們目前幾年不會回鄉(xiāng)，自己新建的900多平方米房子僑聯(lián)正好派用場。

晚飯時，老楊同老伴一嘀咕，老伴半晌無語。老伴是位勤勞賢慧的婦女，不是不明白老楊的心思，只是造房子三年的心血、感情，她委實割舍不了。要知道，為造此屋，他們曾一車一車往山上運磚瓦木料、一碗一碗地給建筑工人燒面條點心、一趟一趟卸車、一件一件爬坡挑運，夫婦倆起早摸黑，三層樓造了一年多，老楊瘦了六七斤，老伴更是瘦了十來斤！

如今這幢樓彩瓷貼面，白墻碧瓦，漂亮極了，怎么說捐了就捐了呢？她提出就是要捐，也得征求一下在國外的兒女們的意見。

第二天越洋電話打到意大利和荷蘭，女兒楊金蓮沒意見，老大也支持父母的善心，他說：“爸，只要你二老身體好，就是福氣，你把新樓捐出去，我們，包括你媳婦都舉雙手贊成！”楊余律又考慮到新造大樓也得向二兒子征求意見，于是他又特意叫老二回鄉(xiāng)一趟，不料老二與媳婦同一個心思：“爸媽說的沒錯。錢多了，回報社會可以積德修身！你們健康、舒心最要緊，一切聽你們的。”

2006年10月8日，國慶節(jié)一過楊家把五層新大樓捐給鄉(xiāng)僑聯(lián)。消息傳開，鄉(xiāng)親們?yōu)闂钣嗦煞驄D的善心義舉擊節(jié)贊嘆。鄉(xiāng)人民政府、市僑聯(lián)上報材料為楊余律請功，《瑞安日報》登載了瑞安市委、市政府“授予楊余律同志三等功”的消息和他評上全國僑聯(lián)先進工作者的喜訊。當楊余律夫婦倆把新樓打掃整理得干干凈凈，一串新鑰匙交給僑聯(lián)潘主席之時，鄉(xiāng)僑聯(lián)主席說：“接過這串發(fā)燙的鑰匙，我感動，手也有些發(fā)抖。老楊夫婦這種奉獻精神，真是子孫后代愛國愛鄉(xiāng)的好榜樣！”

Generous Donator Combats Village Poverty

By Zhang Yi

Even Yang Yulu himself did not anticipate he would one day become one of the biggest donators in his home Guifeng Township trapped in deep mountains in Rui’an City in the southeastern Zhejiang Province. The village where he was born in 1944 was so poverty-stricken that local farmers joined the communists to fight for a day when poverty would be cast away. His father fought with the communists.

After Yang Yulu grew up and graduated from middle school， he came back to the area， wishing to do something to do away the poverty that had been haunting the local people for such a long time. He did his job diligently. In 1966 he joined the Communist Party of China and in 1967 he became a government official. Seven years later he was electeddeputy secretary of the CPC committee of Guifeng Township.

Due to the harsh natural conditions within the landlocked area， many villagers in the rural township have migrated to Europe for a living over decades. Many of Yang’s relatives are in Europe and now Yang’s sons and daughters are in Holland and Italy. It was during a relative-visiting trip in Europe that Yang became sharply aware that the former villagers always had their hometown and family members in their thoughts and are dearly concerned with economic developments back home in the mountainous area.

When Yang Yulu came back from Europe， he decided to visit the people whose family members had gone to Europe. Thus Yang started paying regular visits to those people who did not have anyone else to look after them. Rain or shine， Yang trekked through mountains and dropped in from village to village. He distributed government grants to the people in financial difficulties and on many occasions he gave his own cash to tide them over some financial difficulties. This kind of visits lasted for years and years until he retired in 2005.

The Guifeng Township was poverty-stricken because it was trapped in mountains more than 60 kilometers away from Rui’an city. All the people there and those overseas Chinese in Europe wished to have a highway built to connect the villages to the outside world. In 1992， the government started a highway project. Yang and his wife donated 5，000 yuan. This generosity astonished villagers and his relatives， who thought this big amount ofmoney must have been from their adult children in Europe. But it wa their own hand-earned money accumulated from raising pigs and selling vegetables they had planted. Yang talked with many other villagers who had regular income from their overseas family members and urged them to donate money for the project.

In 1999， when the road was about to be paved with asphalt， Yang donated 100，000 yuan and other villagers also donated generously. Just in one day， more than a million yuan was raised to enable the new project to start without a financing glitch. Since then， Yang has generously donated to local charity and utilities projects. The road has improved local economy a great deal.

Some people misread Yang’s generosity. They think Yang and his children must be made of money. Actually most of their money comes from their very frugal life. He walks to everywhere and never takes a taxi. His diet wouldn’t be simpler. So far， Yang and his wife have donated more than 1 million to local charities.

When Yang’s sons and daughters were just beginning to do business in Europe， they did not make much money and they did not send back much. But now that they make good money and send back more， Yang and his wife have more to donate. The good-hearted couple is determined to donate up to 2 million to the local charities and public works.

In 2006， Yang and his wife had a five-storied house with a total floor area of 960 square meters built. When Yang learned that the local organization of overseas Chinese needed a large space for an activities center， the couple decided to donate the house. But it was really a big property and they felt they needed to call their children for their opinions first. The children and their spouses all agreed with their parent’s donation proposal.

Yang’s children said that it would be a wonderful idea to requite the society where they had received a lot of help in the past and what mattered most was their parents?delight in the donation. On October 8th， 2006， the couple formally donated the house. Villagers lauded their generosity. The local government issued a citation for the generous donation of the couple. The local newspaper covered the event.

(Translated by David)