Ma Xu, an 85-year-old veteran and China’s first female paratrooper, was granted the honorable title “Heroine Model” by the Harbin Women’s Federation in Wuhan, Central China’s Hubei province, on April 21.

She was granted the title in recognition of her dedication to her hometown.

In September 2018, Ma, born in Mulan county, Harbin, donated her 10 million yuan ($1.04 million) in life savings to support education and cultural affairs in her hometown.

The donation has been used to build a 4,000-square-meter arts and cultural center named after the veteran. Construction is scheduled to be completed at the end of October.

Ma has been living with her husband in a small house in Huangpo district, Wuhan since she retired from the army. They still sleep on the same hard bed they were using in the 1970s, and their sofas date back 50 years. They also regularly wear their military uniforms.

 Ma Xu (mid) is given the honorary title “Heroine Model” by the Harbin Women’s Federation in Wuhan, Central China’s Hubei province, on April 21. [Photo/people.cn]

Employees of the Harbin Women’s Federation pay a visit to the home of Ma and her husband in Wuhan, Central China’s Hubei province, on April 21. [Photo/people.cn]