Liu Quan, a clay sculpture artist in Pingliang, Gansu Province, gave the cute "Fuhu" decorative color. Courtesy of respondents
Killing Pigs, Steaming Bean Buns, Grinding Tofu, Buying New Year Goods, Pasting Couplets, Hanging Lanterns, Guarding Chinese New Year's Eve... The Spring Festival is the most important festival of the year, and the smiles on people's faces and the overflowing New Year's flavor in the village reflect the farmers' lives more and more "running"!
From the snow road chai in the northeast to the xiaoqiao water town in jiangnan, from the cave kilns in the northwest to the wooden houses and bamboo buildings in the southwest, all places are celebrating the Spring Festival in different ways and customs to express their prospects and expectations for the new year.
"Now in the village can be wet, quite a shit!"
"It's the New Year, and my family is frying fritters, gluten, and noodle rats (pasta shaped like little mice)... And many faces, just waiting to send. Fan Yanrui, a poverty-alleviated household standing by the kitchen stove with an apron, said with a smile.
Fan Yanrui, a 37-year-old family, lives in Liangjiawan Village, Xiyangze Township, Zanhuang County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province. There are 5 people in the family, two with three babies. Her husband works at a company in Zanhuang, she is responsible for cleaning in the village, and the two now earn 40,000 to 50,000 yuan a year.
"I didn't dare to think about such a day before, I tried to raise chickens, but I lost money." A few years ago, the family's cultural level was not high, and it would not be technical. Just by relying on the few jujube trees in the house, you can have three or four thousand yuan a year. Fan Yanrui said.
At that time, the situation of Fan Yanrui's family met the conditions for filing a file, and the village included his family in the list of helpers. "As the saying goes, 'It is better to teach people to fish than to teach people to fish', and the village has organized people who are unemployed at home and have no skills, invited some teachers, and conducted many trainings so that they have the skills to make a living." Liu Xin, a cadre of the Zanhuang County Finance Bureau in Liangjiawan Village, said.
With the support of the village, Fan Yanrui's husband slowly developed a craft and found a job in a company in the county, and Fan Yanrui also worked as a cleaner in the village. "There are several in the village like Fan Yanrui, and the village has arranged public welfare posts for them to be responsible for the chores in the village, such as weeding and sweeping the floor. In addition to these, there are walnut micro-factories in the village, Lotus Village Farm Projects, etc., and the villagers can earn money at their doorstep. Liu Xin said.
"In the past, when there was no micro-factory, I was looking for some work in the surrounding villages. Far from it, it is not stable. Wei Jianxia, a poverty alleviation household, said, "Now after sending my children to school every day, I knock walnuts in the micro-factory and grade walnut kernels, and I can stay for eight hours a day." The average income in January is about 1,000 yuan. ”
"After the micro-factory opened in the village, I walked 10 minutes to go. In the past, I used to sit at home and chat with others outside, which was boring. Now, it does not affect the care of the family, but also earn money, and the family children go to school and subsidies, can not spend much money, the days are really getting more and more running. Wei Jianxia said.
Yingbin Road, Liangjiawan Village, Xiyangze Township, Zanhuang County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province. Shang Fan photo
The roads are spacious, the pavements are clean, the houses are chic... Walking on the welcome road of Liangjiawan Village, the beautiful rural picture comes into view. Speaking of the changes in their hometown in recent years, the villagers in the village gushed endlessly. "I feel that the village has changed a lot, and every time I come back, I have a new discovery." Wei Limin, who went to school outside, said: "The village not only has a good road to walk, the environment is also beautiful, and it has also been rated as 'beautiful countryside in Hebei Province'. ”
"In 2021, our Liangjiawan Village took 'clean green beauty' as the standard, implemented a series of measures such as street hardening, toilets and kitchens, courtyard greening, and village beautification, and built a new 1,500-square-meter mass cultural square; laid sewage pipes, and the harmless treatment rate of garbage reached 100%; and produced 55 billboards and slogans of various types..." said Chi Junrong, the branch secretary of Liangjiawan Village in Zanhuang County.
With the joint efforts of everyone, the appearance of Liangjiawan Village has been significantly improved, and the living standards of villagers have been significantly improved. "Now the village can be wet, it's quite funny!" Fan Yanrui said with a smile.
"The taste of mother" is the eternal concern in his heart
Dumplings, fried lotus boxes, fried striped fish, fried meat, croquettes... The meals cooked by his mother during the New Year are deeply remembered by Yang Fuyu, these things cannot be eaten outside, and they are also his "worries" for the New Year.
Yang Fuyu, a native of Huluyu Village, Liubu Subdistrict, Jinan City, Shandong Province, came to Shenzhen three years ago to work in the cosmetics business. He wants to go home for the Spring Festival every year, because of this concern.
"It's not easy to do business outside, after a year of wandering, the New Year, I want to meet my parents, see these fathers and villagers in the village, a big family is happy and harmonious, this year's hard work!" There's nothing. Yang Fuyu said.
Hulutao Village was originally a poor mountain village, and many people went out to work. In 2021, there will be new changes in Hulutao Village, with new roads and street lights. In the New Year, the rich Hulutao Village has set up a light show again, and the old and young masters in the village are not to mention how happy they are, and even Yang Fuyu, who has seen the "world", lamented that the village has added a new Year flavor.
A light show in Hulutao Village. Courtesy of respondents
When he first arrived in Shenzhen, Yang Fuyu was not very comfortable because the pace of life in Shenzhen was too fast. Yang Fuyu said that he was almost working until 8 p.m. there, and everyone came out after 9 p.m. Shenzhen is a very advanced city with a developed economy, doing things seriously and efficiently; and in my hometown, I leave work at 5 p.m., go home to cook or go out to dinner with friends.
"In Shenzhen, I am a foreigner; in my hometown, I am a returnee." What attracts Yang Fuyu to go home is the strong New Year's flavor of his hometown, which has family affection and some memories with the taste of his hometown.
In Yang Fuyu's recollection, every year the village will engage in some traditional programs, such as playing with dragon lanterns and twisting songs. For him, the most attractive thing to him was the Chinese New Year's Eve meal made by his mother. Dumplings, fried lotus boxes, fried striped fish, fried meat, croquettes... In Yang Fuyu's hometown, there is a custom, Chinese New Year's Eve eat meat dumplings at night, the most delicious one in the mother's bag is leek meat dumplings; the first day of eating vegetarian dumplings symbolizes that this year is vegetarian and quiet. Yang Fuyu eats water radish dumplings every year, he feels that only when he eats this dumpling can he feel the taste of the Year, and he can't feel it outside, which is the taste of his childhood.
"Alone in a foreign land for strangers", people who are wandering outside are full of concerns. The customs and new year taste of the hometown are a good medicine to comfort every returnee, and it is also a warm memory in the heart of every "foreigner".
A handful of mud balls can also open the way to riches
Singing songs, drinking black tea, pinching clay sculptures, doing live broadcasts. This is the daily life of Liu Quan, a clay sculpture artist in Pingliang, Gansu Province.
In Jiangjiagou Village, Kuntong Town, Kuntong District, Pingliang City, the "Clay Sculpture Liu" sign erected on the side of the road is particularly eye-catching. Visitors can easily follow the guidance to enter the cave studio of "Clay Sculpture Liu". Here the fire is booming and warm, and the pots and cans of tea boiled on the stove emit a strong fragrance and refreshing the spleen.
This large cave was originally the storage room for the blank finished products of Liu Quan's ancient clay sculpture factory. The ancient ridge beast produced last year was sold out, and now the cave looks a little empty. This also happens to be the innovative production studio of "Clay Sculpture Liu" in winter.
This majestic clay sculpture tiger is the "Tiger King", this tiger head clay sculpture painted piggy bank is the "Bai Nian Tiger", and this cartoon clay sculpture little tiger wearing a brand new flower dress is "Fu Hu"... The "clay sculpture Liu", who is not good at words, talked about the story of clay sculpture creation and opened the conversation box at once.
"I am 58 years old this year, I have been 'playing' with my father since 14 years ago, it has been 44 years, and after founding the clay sculpture factory, I was awarded the title of 'Kun Gong Craftsman'." Liu Quan said that the clay sculpture factory has absorbed 13 workers who love clay sculpture in the village to make perennial flower ridges, and has signed long-term supply contracts with Kundong Mountain Scenic Area and ancient construction companies.
"After 'playing' with mud for so many years, I have always thought of establishing a clay sculpture exhibition room and a place for learning and communication, so that dolls who love handmade crafts can learn this craft and not be lost in my generation." Liu Quan said.
A touch of loess mud, a pair of dexterous hands, a few woodcut knives... After several kneading in Liu Quan's hand, the small mud ball turned into a cute clay sculpture with a smiling face, which came to life.
After the mud sculpture factory was suspended in winter, Liu Quan began to plan the creation of clay sculptures related to the Year of the Tiger.
"Starting at 7:00 or 8:00 in the morning and ending at 6:30 in the evening, it is my goal and dream to turn innovative clay sculptures into commodities, which is my goal and dream of creating clay sculptures in winter." At night, open the mobile phone to do more than an hour of live broadcast, chat with netizens about the story of making clay sculptures, and activate your thinking by the way, and this day will be happy. Liu Quan said that passing on the clay sculpture technology well and developing the clay sculpture industry is his biggest dream in the future. (Intern Yijia Zhou also contributed to this article)
Source: People's Daily News