2023 Rural Cognition and Experience

DAY 1

On September 6th, it was a sunny day, and it seemed as if the sweltering heat of the entire summer had lingered until this very day. Under the hazy sun, we boarded the coach heading for Yixian County. Our first stop was the Yishui Culture Museum in Lingyunce Township. The moment the kick-off meeting started, the story between us and Huangshan Village in Yixian County officially began. After the kick-off meeting, we went to the farmers’ houses to check in and get familiar with the environment. When it comes to the countryside, what usually comes to mind are fresh air, vast land, and tranquil villages… However, when I arrived at Huangshan Village, I found that the countryside was not what I had imagined. The entrance of the village was right beside the highway, and we had to walk a long way before we could see the farmers’ yards. Although the village roads had been paved with cement, they still had a rustic feel. But the yards and gates of each farmer’s house were quite luxurious. From the outside, it was an ordinary and even somewhat dilapidated small village, yet inside, there were already luxurious small villas. Looking at the automatic gate that slowly opened in front of me and the brand-new European-style single-story house, for a moment, I couldn’t figure out whether I was here for a vacation or for a practical activity, and whether I was from the countryside or they were. In the evening, we returned to Uncle Jia’s (the male owner of the farmer’s house where we were staying). We made a Stitch handbag together with them. During the conversation, we learned that every household in Huangshan Village, in addition to their main daily work, would take on some manual private orders from online stores when they got home in the evening. The farmers I came into contact with were all working hard, and it seemed difficult to find them slacking off. I probably understood why their houses were so “luxurious”.

DAY 2

On September 7th, it was a sunny day, and it was from today that we truly started to explore this village. In the morning, we visited a beekeeping family in the village. The beekeeping business was mainly managed and taken care of by the elderly in the family. Through chatting with the grandpa, we learned that he had a total of 3,000 bees. There were 70 bees on each layer, and two boxes made up a hive. Each hive had one queen bee. Usually, they fed the bees with rice, and the bees could produce 150 jin (about 75 kilograms) of honey in a year. When the grandpa pulled out one layer of the honeycomb and cut off a small piece of beeswax, the sweet raw honey was illuminated by the morning sunlight, glistening and translucent. Standing among the swarming bees, we tasted the fruits of their hard work. The viscous honey dripped down our fingertips, and the fragrant aroma exploded on our taste buds. At that moment, we shared the sense of achievement of the rural beekeeping family and understood the proud and confident smile that the grandpa had shown when we knocked on the door and asked about beekeeping. In the afternoon, we went to the asphalt factory beside the village, Hebei Ludakaiya Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. This factory was built in 2018 with the investment of the national government. It mainly produces permeable asphalt, providing road materials for the urban construction of the Xiongan New Area. Through chatting with the chief accountant of the asphalt factory, we learned about the average annual output and income of the asphalt, as well as the technical support it received. We also gained a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of its entire operation mode. Almost all the workers in the asphalt factory have no days off throughout the year. They send truckloads of qualified asphalt materials to the cities where they are needed. They stay here, surrounded by mountains, and produce the solid foundation for the concrete jungles.

DAY 3

On September 8th, the weather was overcast with light rain. Early in the morning, we climbed the small hill behind the village together with our teacher. On the hill, we saw the Bodhisattva Hall where local villagers would offer sacrifices. Perhaps due to the rainy and overcast day and the fact that it wasn’t a festival for worship, this hall seemed desolate and gloomy. Even though it was drizzling, I was a bit afraid to take shelter from the rain under the eaves of the Bodhisattva Hall. Eventually, I dared to go forward only after everyone else had gone up. After we went up, the words spoken by Teacher Hou really opened my eyes. Teacher Hou said that our fear of this Bodhisattva Hall stemmed from our ignorance of it. It’s normal for people to feel afraid of things they don’t know or are unfamiliar with. Temples are more of a concentration of the local people’s cultural beliefs. Whether it’s Taoism or Buddhism, and the real – life Bodhisattvas inside, we should maintain a respectful attitude. What we respect is not the real supernatural powers of gods and monsters, but the power of people’s cultural beliefs. Even if we don’t believe in Buddhism or any religion, we can go up to these temples and express our hopes. It’s the spiritual strength that this cultural belief brings to us. After hearing these words, when I looked back at the Bodhisattva Hall, the Guanyin Bodhisattva enshrined in it was the most common one we knew. Moreover, when I walked up the steps of the hall, without the obstruction of trees, my vision suddenly became wide – open. The entire hall overlooked the whole Huangshan Village. I could clearly see the asphalt factory and the cornfields I had visited yesterday, and I could see the extension of the village roads. It no longer seemed gloomy and terrifying, but rather calmly, peacefully, and serenely overlooked the development and changes of the entire Huangshan Village in the mist.

 

In the afternoon, we went to Dongshaoxin Village Primary School. We had a PE class with the students, shared our sports specialties, and taught the students to try sports events they had never come into contact with before. The great enthusiasm of the students and their interest in different sports events made me extremely excited. The laughter and cheers we left on the playground will always be engraved in my memory.

DAY 4

On September 9th, it rained. With each autumn rain comes a chill. The continuous drizzle in the morning made us sleep soundly. When we opened our eyes again, it was already noon. The fatigue from the past three days was completely gone. We went to the Jiecun Cultural Square for the closing – ceremony performance. At the closing – ceremony performance, we saw the excellent programs performed by each class. Over these days, everyone had integrated into the rural areas of Yixian County and told their stories with Yixian in their own ways.

DAY 5

On September 10th, the weather changed from overcast to sunny. We stepped across the puddles and walked along the village road. When we reached the village entrance, we looked back at the village, filled with a thousand reluctant feelings. The members of the Party committee of Huangshan Village came to the village entrance to see us off. They said they were looking forward to our next visit, with smiles on their faces, much more familiar than when we first met. I’m looking forward to the better development of Yixian County and Huangshan Village in the future, and also looking forward to our next encounter.