Rural Revitalization: Social forces bring more possibilities for overall development

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China is pushing forward its poverty alleviation campaign. Some say rural areas can only be revitalized when most farmers are fully motivated. In the remote village of Dali in Yunnan Province, social forces have been introduced to tap into more potential. Our reporter Yang Jinghao has the story.

Every few weeks, a group of farmers in Mapingguan, a remote village of the Bai ethnic minority, gathers on this timeworn stage to rehearse the Dian Opera. That's a traditional art form with a history of more than 200 years.

DUAN SHIYUE VILLAGER "We only performed during important festivals in a very casual way before. It's great that we are regaining the art with regular practices and gradually attracting more young people."

This is one example of how this small village is trying to revive itself in all aspects. Once an important checkpoint for collecting salt taxes on the Ancient Tea Horse Road, Mapingguan has been gradually waning over the past decades.

YANG JINGHAO YUNNAN PROVINCE "A program was launched here one year ago to encourage and finance local farmers to go to the cities to learn something they are interested in. Now, more and more villagers are venturing out from the mountains, and bringing fresh ideas and knowledge back in the hope of contributing to the development of their village."

The program called "Walking out of Mapingguan" was initiated by architect Huang Yinwu, who has devoted himself to the restoration of the nearby ancient town of Shaxi. He says the government plays an important role in rural development by improving infrastructure and public services, but the villagers themselves are the decisive factor.

HUANG YINWU ARCHITECT "A village will develop in a sustainable way only when its inhabitants realize self-development. So what we need to do is to stimulate them and make them less dependent on the government."

With financial support from several foundations, locals have acquired various skills, such as performing opera, providing preschool education, hostel operation, and woodworking. These pioneers are bringing hope to the long-isolated area.

DUAN JUNHENG VILLAGER "I'm going to open a woodworking studio with what I've learned and to make some furniture and other useful things for my fellow villagers. This is what I have been longing for."

The local government has recently been fighting poverty here. A rough road connecting Mapingguan with the outside world was only built two years ago. Local officials also have high expectations for the development program.

ZHANG XIEJU HEAD OF SHAXI TOWNSHIP "By bringing in social forces, we hope to see changes in young people in terms of their consciousness. This is actually more effective than material assistance."

Huang Yinwu says he hopes the villagers will live their lives in a calm, confident and dignified manner in the near future, just as he originally intended. Yang Jinghao, CGTN, Yunnan Province.