Rural revitalization involves not only the construction and transformation of rural areas, but also the preservation of rural historical culture and spiritual inheritance. Co-hosted by Ningbo Municipal Civilization Office, Ningbo Agriculture and Rural Bureau, Ningbo Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League, Ningbo Daily Newspaper Group, and organized by Ningbo Evening News and Yinzhou District Civilization Office, the “Rural π Plan - Rural Civilization Survey” was held. In response to the call, teachers and students from Ningbo Innovation Center, Zhejiang University (ZJUNB) actively participated and invited foreign students to be part of their social practice team and take part in the event together.

 

In late July, the social practice team of the ZJUNB visited Zoumatang Village in Jiangshan Town, Yinzhou District, which is honored as the “China’s No.1 Jinshi Village” (with 76 scholars being crowned “Jinshi”-the highest and final degree in the imperial examinations of China). The practice team embarked on a three-day research in the village, exploring and perceiving the local rural customs. The journalist of the Ningbo Evening News followed the whole process and reported on the practice team‘s activities.

 

The thousand-year-old ancient village of Zoumatang is located in southern Ningbo. It is considered “one of the oldest settlements in Ningbo, where many great scholars were born, surrounded by majestic rivers and hills, and embraced by fertile lands and rivers”. In the village, there are many ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties (14th to early 20th century). The villagers are simple and honest folk. Throughout the dynasties, the Zoumatang Village has 76 scholars and 152 officials, including 4 Shangshu (ministers of the highest rank in ancient China), earning the name of “China’’s No.1 Jinshi Village”.  

 

Upon arriving in the Zoumatang Village, Zhang Jianmin, Member of Jiangshan Town Rural Revitalization Task Force, Cadre of Zoumatang Village, shared his authentic experiences working in Zoumatang Village for over a year with the practice team. “We have integrated the existing resources of the village, introduced social forces, and activated its idle spaces, letting more villagers to participate in rural revitalization and achieve employment right at their doorstep.” “The government provided a platform, introduced industries, and encouraged villagers‘ involvement, which can effectively preserve the rural landscape and retain a sense of nostalgia without appearing overly commercial. The products of Zoumatang Village play the role of cultural export and possess lasting vitality.”

 

A cup of lotus pond coffee ignited the villagers’ enthusiasm for entrepreneurship. Aunt Xiaomei created her own “Jinshi Pastry”. Chen Lijun, a 62-year-old villager, learned tie-dyeing. Aunt Dong‘s Worry-Free Sour Plum Soup became a celebrity product. The practice team conducted in-depth interviews with the protagonists of the prosperous stories to understand the local rural cultural and economic development.

 

Introduce new business models, enabling villagers and entrepreneurs to form a long-term community of shared interests. This is the “Common Prosperity Contract” model of Zoumatang Village, which enriches both the rural areas and villagers.

 

As a historical and cultural landmark, the Zoumatang village has unique advantages in cultural construction. Combined with the questionnaire survey, the practice team interviewed the local villagers to understand their usual cultural and recreational life.

 

In combination with the festival, the villagers organized “Making Zongzi” activities during the Dragon Boat Festival, and “Making Yuanxiao” activities during the Lantern Festival, etc. Under the cooperation with the schools, the primary students went to the rural areas to participate in “Volunteer Service Picking-Up Garbage, Cleaning the Rural Environment” activities, went to the study halls to hold “Exploring Science, Seeking Culture” activities, experiencing the cultural and historical atmosphere of the “China’s No.1 Jinshi Village”. For inheriting the culture, Zoumatang Village organized performances of the “Investigating Censor in Zouma Town”, which taking Chen He from Zoumatang Village in Yinzhou District, Ningbo City as the prototype. The activity of “Most Beautiful Village Song” was carried out in the Ningbo Rural Cultural Auditorium. Villagers spontaneously form dance teams to participate, which can enrich their leisure life and enhance the vitality of the countryside.

 

Cultural self-confidence also requires progressive expression, transcending temporal and spatial boundaries, broadening the space for cultural innovation, and showcasing the tremendous charm of rural culture. The practice team initiated the live broadcast “Amazing My Village” as part of the “Eight Villages Broadcasting Network,” showcasing the unique charm of Zoumatang Village virtually. Utilizing new media methods to display rural cultural resources, the digital media empowerment of the new media era has opened up vast space for expanding rural cultural communication channels and enhancing rural cultural self-confidence.

 

In addition, while broadcasting live, the practice team also experienced the production of Jinshi Pastry, the celebrity product of Zoumatang Village. Everyone participated in it personally and felt the real happiness brought by Rural Revitalization to the villagers.

 

During the three-day Rural Civilization Survey in Zoumatang Village, the practice team thoroughly explored every corner of the village. By conducting interviews and visits, they experienced the rich historical heritage, warm and simple folk customs, leisure pace of life, and revitalized vitality of Zoumatang Village. This showcased the unique rural civilization construction of the “China‘s No.1 Jinshi Village” and verified the achievements of rural revitalization strategy. The team members gained profound insights during the practice and drew strength from deep contemplation of history, contributing together to the realization of the vision of building a beautiful countryside of Zoumatang Village.