“New Movement” for Rural Revitalization of Xiahaocheng Village, Jiaokou County

Natural sounds in various forms are heard in the villages and mountains. Insects and birds are chirping, rivers are flowing and winds are breezing. Recently, journalist of Lyuliang Daily visits Xiahaocheng Village, Shikou Town, Jiaokou County, where herds of cattle graze leisurely, and the bells on their necks give out clear and ethereal sound, interwoven with the melody of the Nature. A “countryside variation” is pleasing to the ear in this village.

Entering the village, the journalist catches sight of tractors loaded with corn stalks towards the direction of a cattle-rearing cooperative. When the journalist was puzzled by this scene, Li Gaobao, an experienced worker with a smile says: “These corn stalks are quite profitable and can be used as cattle feed. They generate a profit of 250 yuan per ton. I earned 10,000 yuan by corn stalks sale alone last year”. He is a villager of Yingjiachuan Village nearby, who mainly lives on farming. His family plants cornfield of more than 10 mu. Since the late September 2021, he has not only harvested and transported his own corn stalks, but also has helped others collect the abandoned corn stalks together for sale to the cooperative.

“In the past, villagers regarded corn stalks as useless things. They burned corn stalks after harvesting corns. This not only aggravated fire risk and hidden danger, but also seriously polluted the air. Jiaokou Xinnong Agricultural Planting and Breeding Professional Cooperative can make use of all the corn stalks, which digests and absorbs about 350,000 kilograms per year. Our village falls short of the abundant demand so that cooperation is carried out with other villages. Moreover, villagers take away cattle dejecta for free, which is supplied by agricultural farming professional cooperative and used as fertilizer. A benign recycling comes true”, Ren Dexi, Secretary of the Village Branch of the Communist Party, Xiahaocheng Village, tells the journalist. Ren Shumin, Representative of Cooperative shareholders, points out: “Established in 2017, with total area of 10 mu, Jiaokou Xinnong Agricultural Planting and Breeding Professional Cooperative rears a cattle variety of ‘Lyuliang Small Yellow Cattle’. Every year, it supplies 300 fattened bulls. More than 200 bulls are sold every year, which are mainly sold to Xi’an, Henan, Hunan and other provinces. At present, the supply falls short of demand. Every year, dividends are distributed to 25 rural households, seven new jobs are offered to the village. The per capita annual income reaches 36,000 yuan”.

“In our village, cattle breeding is a pillar industry, and mushroom planting is another important source of income”. Under a tour guided by the villagers, the journalist visits Weihe Agricultural Development Co. Ltd., Jiaokou County, Ren Xiaolong, a man aged 51, is concentrating on maintaining the automatic inoculation machine. " I am a villager of Xiahaocheng Village. I have worked in this company for four years, with a monthly salary of 4,000 yuan. I am mainly responsible for maintenance and repair of the machinery and equipments. I am quite satisfied with my job, as I really obtain employment in our village. I steadily increase my personal income and it’s convenient for taking care of the elders and my children. My wife also works in mushroom planting shed”. There are many other villagers like this couple in Weihe Agricultural Development Co. Ltd.. 

With a floor area of 545 mu, Weihe Agricultural Development Co. Ltd. is a key leading enterprise specialized in modern agricultural industry in Jiaokou County. This is a modern edible fungus enterprise committed to research and development of edible fungus technology, production, planting, processing and sales of fungus species and fungus sticks, and comprehensive utilization of wastes. It is reported that in 2021, the company produced 10.8507 million edible fungus sticks, planted 3.2938 million edible fungus sticks, and produced 4.9407 million kilograms of mushrooms. In recent years, through labor employment, mushroom planting shed contracting, industrial poverty alleviation funds for shareholders, financial cooperation, service industry driving and other economic modes, the company has helped 2,040 rural households to join the edible fungus industry development and income increase. 23 villages fill the gap in collective economy. More than 300 local workers get new jobs. Employment and income increase are achieved for local villagers.

Strengthening rural culture and customs construction is not only an important part of the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas, but also a significant guarantee for promoting the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas. Transforming outdated habits and customs is a key step to realize rural civilization. “In our village, weddings and funerals are all undertaken by the wedding and funeral executive council of the village. The betrothal gift, given to a bride for wedding, implies symbolic meaning, which is at most 50,000 yuan. On the occasion of a funeral, it is simply held, without a gathering for banquet and money of at most 200 yuan. In this way, villagers observe a moment of silence”, Wang Youyin says, the Deputy Secretary of the Village Branch of the Communist Party, Xiahaocheng Village.

Xiahaocheng Village is not only a “beautiful demonstration village of rural areas” in Jiaokou County, but also an administrative village led by “top party general branch from five aspects” for six consecutive years. Under the guidance of the village party branch, it focuses on transforming the outdated habits and customs as an important content of rural civilization and beautiful village construction, and formulates “ten village regulations” to be consciously observed, with a view to breaking outmoded conventions and stereotypes, carrying forward the fine traditions, and advocating the new social customs. The village makes greater efforts to correcting the undesirable customs, such as weddings and funerals on a large scale, extravagance, waste, false pride and unrealistic comparison. The village initiate new social customs to celebrate new-fashion weddings, take good care of one's parents while they are alive and simple burials for them when they passed away, keep thrifty and raise virtue. The new trends of civilization blend into rural production and daily life. Benign social atmosphere takes shape, characterized by rural harmony, advocacy for moral integrity and kindness, thrift marriage custom and brief funeral service.

The key to transforming outdated habits and customs lies in boosting the construction of rural cultural and ideological progress, advancing cultural lifestyle and improving cultural quality among villagers. “We have built two squares respectively themed with rural revitalization and party building in our village. The painted culture walls are aimed to convey fundamental policies of the Communist Party of China to the people, expound on the overall plans and practices of rural revitalization, and cultivate benign customs in a subtle manner. In addition, we do our best to attract social funds, renovate village history hall of Xiahaocheng Village, and collect the cultural and historical materials in the village. We aspire to carry forward historical and cultural heritages of our village, and push forward the formation of civilized customs, good family traditions and simple folkways”. According to Ren Dexi, in terms of living environment, the village strengthens environmental governance, constantly improves village appearance through “clean environment without garbage on the ground”, and develops the systems to manage and protect farmlands, manage cleaners, among others. Problem-addressing action is launched for family courtyards. By appraising excellent families, setting typical models and giving appropriate rewards, the village fully arouses the enthusiasm of the people. At present, living environment has been improved significantly in the whole village. Villagers also take good care of their families in a benign manner. 

“Our village will continue to insist on industry development mode of ‘village, leading enterprises, agricultural cooperatives and farmers’, and implement the strategy of Five-pronged Revitalization vigorously. On the basis of a bigger and stronger edible fungus industry and characteristic breeding industry, our village will give full play to the location advantage, industrial advantage and ecological advantage, further integrate all kinds of resources, build edible fungus health care & leisure lifestyle village and ecological sightseeing & picking experience base. Through the integrated development of primary, secondary and tertiary industries, we will strive to build our village into a livable, business-friendly and attractive village”, Ren Dexi says with full of confidence in the future development.

Nowadays, the edible fungus industry and characteristic breeding industry develop with great momentums in Xiahaocheng Village. After proper improvement, living environment takes a new look instead of obsolete appearance, while rural customs and civilization construction are in full swing…This hopeful village has already played a variation on “comprehensive revitalization of rural areas”, with villagers’ secured happiness as the eternal keynote.