The “High-Quality Development of 100 Counties, 1,000 Towns, and 10,000 Village” initiative is helping revitalize rural culture
The final performance of the first “Bringing Culture to the Countryside” campaign, launched by Shenzhen Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone, concluded smoothly. Traditional intangible cultural heritage performances, such as Teochew opera, Kylin dance, five auspicious lions dance, fisherman’s songs, Luoshan boxing, Nan Shaolin Boxing, hobbyhorse opera and bamboo hat dance, appeared on the stage one after another and captivated the audience. These performances showcased how intangible cultural heritage can be inherited and carried forward in a more down-to-earth manner. To date, Shenshan has hosted 22 “Bringing Culture to the Countryside” events, covering 21 villages (residential communities) and garnering a viewership of nearly 10,000.
Wherever the “Bringing Culture to the Countryside” campaign was held, hundreds of villagers gathered by ponds or beneath banyan tree to enjoy tea, savor delicious food, chat about everyday life, watch operas, or express hope for a bountiful harvest year. This scene exemplified the cultural initiatives designed to benefit the people. Over the period, intangible cultural heritage inheritors and folk art enthusiasts took an active part, sharing their knowledge and passing dowm their skills to others.
Teochew opera inheritors offer help one after another to promote cultural inheritance
Against the backdrop of Guangdong Province implementing extensively the “High-Quality Development of 100 Counties, 1,000 Towns, and 10,000 Village” iniative, the “Bringing Culture to the Countryside” campaign, guided by the New Era Civilization Practice Center and sponsored by the Party and Government Administration Office, was launched from November 2023 to March 2024. Under the theme “Promoting Inheritance by Bringing Culture to the Countryside”, the campaign featured 22 performances that gained widespread popularity. The implementation of the campaign has provided greater value guidance, cultural cohesion and spiritual impetus for Shenshan to blossom into a strategic engine for high-quality development in eastern Guangdong.
In the opening ceremony held in Houmen Tianshui Temple, national inheritor of Teochew opera and national class one performer Wu Peijin performed the classical opera Xu Jiujing’s Advancement in Officialdom-Being a Dutiful Official. He said, “Teochew opera originated in Shenshan. As Kylin Dance Class, Fisherman’s songs team and Luoshan boxing hall often make performances, folk culture and arts have been well preserved.” Wu Peijin visited in succession Yuandun Village, Jishuimen Village and Chishi Taohuayuan, where he showed and lectured on skills, and took concrete actions to help promote the “Bringing Culture into the Countryside” campaign.
The closing ceremony took place on the playground of Xiaomo Wangyu Village. After boats returned and evening lights were lit, nationally and provincially recognized Teochew opera inheritors took the stage together. Their performances resonated in harmony, delivering an audiovisual feast to nearly 1,000 audiences. Yu Jincheng, Director of Haifeng County Teochew opera inheritance center, performed Releasing Zeng Rong-Making Secret Inquiries, a classic opera beloved by all, inviting a storm of applause. Well-dressed Zhong Jingjie, a renowned actress playing Tsing Yi, sang a new song Fan Lei-fa-Love and Hate in the Heart. She sang with clear articulation and a mellow and full tone. Her crystal-clear enunciation and rich, resonant vocals captivated the audience, while her acrobatic combat movements radiated valiant heroism, stirring thunderous applause..
During the Spring Festival, when the “Bringing Culture to the Countryside” campaign was launched in Jiaohu Village, a Teochew opera performance was staged. “I am so grateful that the Shenshan Party and Government Administration Office has sent such a lavish gift to Jiaohu villagers, and hope better performances will be arranged in the future.” said Ye Shiming with emotion, an ex-serviceman, who watched the opera with his grandnephew.
With the “High-Quality Development of 100 Counties, 1,00 Towns and 10,000 Villages” initiative, centuries-old intangible cultural heritage will be brought to the forefront
As “High-Quality Development of 100 Counties, 1,000 Towns, and 10,000 Village” initiative unfolds in the Ebu featured block, numerous shops line the 30-meter wide avenue. Just around the corner, five masters aged over 70 performed the traditional five auspicious lions dance, promoting the “Bringing Culture to the Countryside” campaign. They have witnessed that intangible cultural heritage in Chengnei Village has been passed down through generations. This legacy has now become an interesting story on everybody’s lips.
The five auspicious lions dance is performed by five distinct lion characters: Wufu Shi (Blessing Lion), Qinghou (Green Lion), Jinhou (Golden Lion), Jingshaohe (Mirror-Reflecting Lion), and Ganshaohe (Sweet Osmanthus Lion) - symbolizing the arrival of the Five Blessings. According to Huang Zhaoxian, leader of Chengnei Village Group, this unique dance form predominates in Ebu and Meilong villages. Boasting over a century of history, it stands as a distinctive Teochew lion dance tradition within Guangdong Province.
Lion dance traditions thrive across the four towns of Shenshan. In addition to the five auspicious lions dance in Chengnei Village, there are straw-woven dragon dance in Shangjie Village, unicorn Kylin dance in Nanxiang Village, Nan Shaolin boxing, hobbyhorse opera in Sanjiangluo Village, etc. These troupes regularly tour beyond their home villages, bringing traditional performances to downtown streets and scenic tourist spots.
With the launch of “Bringing Culture to the Countryside” campaign, vibrant cultural activities swept across Shenshan: more than 20 Gaizai lion dancers gathered in Shuimei Village intensive rehearsals; a dragon dance lit up Lao Long Keng, Xihu Village during the Lantern Festival celebrations; dozens of teenagers practiced Luoshan boxing at Jiwei Hall, Jinshizhai; over 20 juvenile members of the Hongquan Chonglin lion dance team staged dynamic performances in Houmen; and Shenshan Luoshan Zhongyi Hall actively took part in multiple events, further energizing th cultural scene.
It is reported that folk kylin and lion dance troupes in Jiaohu Village, Jinshizhai, and Da’ao Village are actively training successors for future stage performances when conditions permit.
Liu Rende, an art aficionado from Xiaomo and a regular participant in the “Bringing Culture to the Countryside” events, cooperated with retirees from Haifeng and Huidong to play traditional music such as Cantonese opera, Chaozhou music and Haifeng eight tones to supplement stage performances.
Su Ting, lead vocalist of the Wangyu Village Fisherman’s Song Troupe, took the stage with her daughter Guo Yongmian and granddaughter Su Peixuan— poignant embodiment of Shenshan's fishermen songs passing down through three generations. They sang an original composition “Toilers, A Song of Net-Knitting”resonated with such melodic vitality that the audience spontaneously joined in chorus, voicing collective joy for the new countryside, renewed fishing livelihoods, and revitalized
Towns and villages collaborate to revitalize rural culture
During the “Bringing Culture to the Countryside” tour performances, melodic flutes, resonant two-stringed lutes, pulsating gongs and drums, piercing suona horns, and crystalline dulcimer notes reverberated through market streets, fields and fishing ports. Interwoven with fisherman’s chants and Teochew operas, these sounds coalesced into a vibrant cultural “symphony” that captivated every visitor.
Children also found great fun on the activity sites. Children’s dance teams from Houmen Town Central Primary School and Xinli Primary School took part in the “Bringing Culture to the Countryside” campaign, gaining enriching experiences that illuminated their childhood.
The campaign has received enormous support from towns, villages and villagers. When the performance was about to be staged in Jiaohu Village, cadres and community members made concerted efforts—finalizing the venue and ensuring flawless execution within 24 hours. Such efficiency exemplified a broader pattern of grassroots mobilization. Chen Jingrong, a member of the Chishi Town Party Committee and a veteran cultural enthusiast, personally oversaw every performance, and provided meticulously services such as drinking water for staff and audiences, as well as light meals for performers. Li Ruiwu, head of Xiaomo Town Cultural Station, worked as the “chief planner” for the performance in Xiaomo. He curated venues, coordinated crews, designed programs, and led the fisherman’s song and traditional dance troupes across multiple events—constantly immersed in both front-stage direction and backstage management. Lin Zhiming, Party branch secretary of Nanxiang Village, is responsible for overseeing cultural performances. He self-funded the establishment of Nanxiang Village Lianyi Hall. Su Aimei, a member of Wangyu Village Party Committee for women’s affairs, provided logistical services to the fisherman’s song team. She could be found wherever fisherman’s song performances were made, and were well trusted by all team members.
This year, the unprecedentedly grand Yingge Dance performance, the jam-packed Beidi Temple Square, a sea of people gathered to watch the lion dance in Shangjie Village, Ebu, and almost all people of Ebu streets turning out to enjoy performances constitute a vivid portrayal of the resounding success of the “Bringing Culture to the Countryside” campaign.
Host: Party and Government Office of Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone
Technical Support Unit: Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone Smart City Construction Management Service Center
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