Autumn is getting stronger, but in the farmhouse in Youqiao Village, Zhixin Town, the heat is not decreasing. Inside, the smell of books fills the heart, villagers sit at a table, reading books and newspapers with relish, while young people and children gather to read encyclopedias and write homework.
It is worth mentioning that the location of this rural library is very special, located in the cultural treasure "Shen Tan Flower Museum" in Youqiao Village. Speaking of "Shen Tanhua", it is a well-known figure, he is the highest-ranking of the 49 Jin Shi in Chongming history, and the third Tanhua of the first class handpicked by the Yongzheng Emperor, named Shen Wenhao. Because successive generations of fathers and fellow villagers are proud, they are honored as "Shen Tanhua". Two years ago, the local area used the old residence of the Song family for more than 130 years to build an old building - "Shen Tan Flower Museum". The renovated "Shen Tanhua Hall" has 9 exhibition halls such as the "Road" of Tanhua and the "Courtyard" of Tanhua Book, and parents often come with their children to pray for their children's intelligence and academic success.
When tourists come to visit and check in, they naturally want to come to the rural library in the "Shen Tan Flower Museum" to sit down. Walking into the library, there is a plaque on the wall, which reads the Tanhua text "Zhai", and the antique arrangement in the house is integrated with the green and gray bricks, murals, wood carvings, etc. of the "Shen Tanhua Museum", highlighting the simplicity and elegance. Here, you can take a book you like and pursue Fanghua memories in the hundred years of the old house; With the cultural accumulation of "Shen Tan Flower Museum", children can also freely enjoy the edification of Chinese classics.
The rural library has witnessed the growth and transformation of Youqiao Village, and has also become the common memory of many people in Youqiao Village. Villager Gu Juan has taken over the management of the village's rural library since 2010, and she has been dealing with it for more than a decade.
"More than 10 years ago, a rural library was built in Youqiao Village, and many young people in the nearby factory liked to borrow books here whenever they had time. In 2019, the 'Shen Tan Flower Museum' was completed, and the rural library also moved in, it can be said that the library has accompanied and influenced the local people for more than ten years, so maintaining the rural library is not only a responsibility of everyone, but also inherits and protects a cultural memory for the people. Gu Juan recalled.
"After the renovation, the environment here is better, every week villagers will come to the rural library to sit and 'recharge' their brains, and the small rural library has become a library at the 'doorstep' of the people." While speaking, Gu Juan neatly sorted out the books and cleaned the book house spotlessly. According to reports, the books in the library are distributed and updated from the district library, and there are now more than 500 volumes on display, involving politics and economics, science and technology, culture, children's and other fields, to meet the needs of the masses to the greatest extent. "In this batch of books, there are modern literature, detective novels, magazines and newspapers, which are more popular, and of course, books such as "Shen Wenhao's Poetry Collection", we grew up listening to Shen Tanhua's story." Gu Juan cherishes the books she manages.
Song Haishan, 75, considers herself one of the biggest beneficiaries of the farmhouse. Behind his house is the Shen Tan Flower Museum, he said, "My house is less than 200 meters away from the rural library in the Shen Tan Flower Museum, and I come to read books and newspapers when I have time." The library has almost become his study.
"A large part of rural revitalization is cultural revitalization, in the past, in the countryside, there were no particularly good conditions for reading outside school, with a rural library, you can guide the masses to discover the beauty of reading, develop the habit of reading, children also have a suitable place to go during the holidays, which is of great benefit to creating a strong cultural atmosphere in the countryside." According to Shi Hongliu, secretary of the general branch of the party in Youqiao Village, the "Shen Tan Flower Museum" itself is a deep accumulation of history and culture, and there are many villagers living around, so it is most appropriate to design it as a spiritual and cultural position that can not only reflect the inheritance of traditional cultural context, but also absorb knowledge, "I hope to make the rural library 'live' through famous history." ”
The book fragrance of Youqiao Village is the epitome of the positive role played by Chongming Rural Library. At present, Chongming has built 257 rural library houses, achieving full coverage of all administrative villages.
"In terms of resource distribution, from 2016 to 2020, we distributed or ordered more than 100,000 books, newspapers and magazines for each rural bookstore every year, and supplemented and updated as needed, hoping to continue to fill the 'cultural granary' for the masses through the resources of all parties." The relevant person in charge of the district library said that in the future, they will grasp the practical aspects of book supply, reading, book management, book use, etc., and constantly improve and expand the service function of the rural library.
Nowadays, one by one, the rural library not only effectively solves the problem of limited reading channels for farmers, but also allows the vast number of rural areas to enjoy the fruitful results of cultural development. In Jianshe Town, some rural bookstores create a public cultural space within reach for the people through "culture + technology", readers only need to scan the QR code to go to Himalaya for electronic reading, turning "reading" into "listening to books"; This year, Zhongxing Village Rural Book House in Zhongxing Town was awarded the "Most Beautiful Rural Book House" in China, and the Rural Book House has not only become a "gas station" for the surrounding people to learn about policies and knowledge, but also an important activity position for many literary and artistic and learning teams in the town...
Not only that, many rural bookhouses will regularly carry out lectures on national defense education, garbage classification, changing customs and customs, as well as reading sharing meetings, essay activities and other themed activities, so as to build a platform for local learning teams and the general public to display talents and communicate with each other, so that the bookhouse becomes a light to light up the spiritual and cultural life of villagers.
Reporter: Ji Jiaqian
Photo by Zhang Zhihao
Editor: Zhu Yiting