Xiaogang Village in Fengyang County is popularly known as the forerunner of China's rural reform.
For many years, the residents of the village in east China's Anhui Province, once plagued by barren land and water scarcity, struggled to make ends meet. That all started to change in 1978 when 18 farmers made a bold decision in a dilapidated thatched cottage. They pressed their red fingerprints onto a contract to seal a deal, dividing the land among individual households in a move that sparked China's rural reform drive and earned Xiaogang the title "first village in rural reform."
With its rich local culture, the village began to encourage tourism and made significant achievements. It was honored as one of the 2024 "Best Tourism Villages" by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
"In my wildest dreams, I never imagined that Xiaogang, once so destitute we could barely fill our stomachs, would one day feast on the riches of tourism," said Yan Jinchang, an 81-year-old resident and one of the 18 farmers who signed the life-changing agreement 46 years ago.
The old farmhouse site of Xiaogang Village. /CFP
The old farmhouse site of Xiaogang Village. /CFP
Tourists can now visit the thatched cabin where the farmers signed the agreement, which has been inscribed as a national-level cultural heritage site. There is also an exhibition hall about China's rural reform and achievements.
The current rural homestay features a group of thatched cottages with earthen walls and threshing floors where crops are sun-dried, exhibiting farming tools that aim to recreate scenes of the village dating back to the 1980s.
Inheritors demonstrate intangible cultural heritage, such as Fengyang flower-drum ballads and paper-cutting to teach tourists in workshops. Visitors can also learn about the traditional methods of making liquor and vinegar in breweries and purchase some as souvenirs.
Aerial view of Xiaogang Village. /CFP
Aerial view of the old farmhouses and modern buildings in Xiaogang Village. /CFP
In the first three quarters of 2024 alone, Xiaogang received over 410,000 visits. In 2023, the village achieved a total tourism revenue of 150 million yuan (about $20.8 million), with half its villagers engaged in the tourism sector.
The tourism boom has provided locals with job opportunities and attracted more college graduates to return to their hometown for work. In addition, each villager can receive an annual bonus of several hundred yuan from the income of the village's collectively-owned enterprises.
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(Cover designed by CGTN's Liang Qian)