42 significant contributors honored medals and titles

Duguimaa, herdswoman, born April 1942

Duguimaa became mother at the age of 19 when she adopted 28 orphans from Shanghai in the early 60s, when southern China suffered a period of natural disasters. To foster the orphans, she taught herself to become an obstetrician and helped scores of young mothers deliver babies at a time when there was little medical equipment available. She has received honors from the regional women's federation and the publicity department for her devotion.

Gao Derong, prefecture leader, born March 1954

Gao is former deputy director of the local people's congress standing committee in Nujiang Lisu autonomous prefecture, Southwest China's Yunnan province, and a member of the Dulong ethnic minority group. He devoted himself to infrastructure construction, industry development and poverty-alleviation work in the Dulong river village. During his tenure, the first road to connect the small village in the mountains with the outside world was built, greatly improving villagers' lives. He was honored as a National Excellent Communist Party Member and an Exemplary Individual of Ethnic Unity and Progress.