Dusk spread over Zongdan Village, Majiaji Town, Weiyuan County, Dingxi City, Gansu Province, and the cultural square in the mountain gradually became lively. Banhu tunes were played, Qin opera was high-pitched, and accompanied by the melodious tune of "Hua'er", a group of silver-haired elderly people incorporated the village's idiosyncrasies and rural customs into the arias, using local accents to drive new trends in the mountain villages on the local stage.
The picture shows members of the "Silver-haired Ethnic" art troupe participating in the "Four Seasons Village Gala" in Zongdan Village to enrich the cultural life of the rural people. (File photo) Photo provided by Weiyuan County Party Committee Propaganda Department
In 2019, Yang Jianhua, who had been working in Zongdan Village for 38 years, retired from his post as secretary of the village party branch. He should have been living a leisurely life, but he noticed two annoying things in the village: many elderly people stayed at home all year round and lived in a deserted way; lanes were littered with clutter, and courtyards were neglected. It is difficult to mobilize the enthusiasm of villagers for harmonious rural construction by relying solely on persuasion.
During a casual conversation, Yang Jianhua came up with a down-to-earth approach to governance. Most of the elders in the village love to sing Qin opera and "Man Hua'er". Why not form a grassroots literary and artistic team to sing good operas on stage and talk about new trends off stage. This can not only relieve boredom together, but also incorporate the principles of changing customs and environmental improvement into the program, singing to everyone, and bringing the villagers to work together.
Others advised him that since he had resigned, it was not worth the hard work of leading an art troupe without remuneration. Yang Jianhua knew in his heart that he could retire from his position but not from his party membership. He wanted to use the local stage to not only add leisure fun to the left-behind elderly people, but also integrate the principles of filial piety and respect for relatives, environmental improvement, and changing customs into the lyrics, hoping that the village would prosper and the villagers would be happy.
Having made up his mind, Yang Jianhua went from house to house and gathered 18 elderly people who loved singing and playing to form a cultural troupe. He also recruited more than 30 enthusiastic villagers to form a volunteer service team. In this silver-haired team, some people play erhu and sanxian, others sing popular songs and sing Qin opera. They arrange "Hua'er" repertoire and organize "village evenings" during holidays and festivals. They echo the same voice on and off the stage, and the nights in the mountain countryside are full of fireworks.
Running a group is full of difficulties. There is no money to purchase musical instruments, so Yang Jianhua pays for it out of his own pocket. In the absence of a fixed rehearsal space, he coordinates with many parties and frees up a small house in the village as an activity point. On weekdays, this hut is both a rehearsal room and a discussion corner for villagers. The old people play piano, play chess, and read newspapers here. If anyone has questions about the policy to benefit farmers, they come here to talk about it.
The picture shows members of the "Silver-haired Ethnic" art troupe participating in the "Four Seasons Village Gala" in the local Qiaojiatan Village. (File photo) Photo provided by Weiyuan County Party Committee Propaganda Department
Relying on this small activity room, the team members slowly polished the music. Yang Jianhua said that the team's program materials are not based on stories from far away places, but are all based on real people in the village, such as filial piety and respect for relatives, simple handling of weddings and funerals, and cleaning the courtyard... They are not stiff or difficult to speak, and the truth is hidden in the vivid arias.
During the off-season, this grassroots team goes on a voluntary tour from village to village and has performed more than 40 times so far. "The performances are all about the people and things around us. It sounds friendly, and after listening to it, I am willing to clean up my own yard." Liu Jingfeng, a villager in Zongdan Village, said that a rural drama quietly changed everyone's minds.
Outside the stage, the volunteer service team shuttles through the lanes of the village all year round. Yang Jianhua took the lead in the renovation of village roads, and the plans for roadbeds and ditches were finalized after consultation with the villagers. When he met fellow villagers who didn't understand the work in the village, he was not in a hurry to argue. He would sit on the kang and make housework, explaining the pros and cons in plain English, "The road leads to the door of the house, and it is my own house that is convenient; the yard is tidy, and I am comfortable."
Gradually, many villagers put aside their worries and took the initiative to clean ditches, pick up garbage, and manage roads. Village-level work progressed much more smoothly. Now walking into Zongdan Village, the lanes are clean and tidy, the courtyards are scattered and refreshing, the flowers and plants are lined in front of and behind the houses, and the appearance of the village has taken on a completely new look.
Xue Shaojun, secretary of the Party branch of Zongdan Village, said that Yang Jianhua did not relinquish his responsibilities when he left office. When planning industries and holding meetings in the village, he would always be there to offer advice and serve as a good adviser to the village's "two committees." When conflicts arose between neighbors, he relied on his years of mass work experience to patiently mediate and resolve all the troubles that bothered the neighbors.
The sun sets on the Cultural Square, and on one side there is the excitement of singing rehearsals, and on the other side there is the quietness of cleaning the alleyways. Yang Jianhua stood in the middle of the crowd, wearing simple clothes and walking calmly. A small rural stage is not only a paradise for the villagers, but also a warm place to drive the villagers to build a harmonious and beautiful countryside. (over)
