I'm Xiaoxin, a semi-retired teacher and headline editor. Recently, I personally set foot on rural soil, ready to unravel this mystery that has sparked a national discussion.
From my investigation, this strange phenomenon is present in every corner of the countryside, whether it is a mountain or a plain, a small village or a large township.
I remember the first village I arrived at, which was called Harvest Village. One of the peculiarities of this village is its proximity to the mountains, where the villagers mainly grow fruit for their livelihood. However, the Spring Festival is approaching, and it should be a busy season for the villagers, but they sit in their homes one by one, as if they are imprisoned.
I couldn't resist my curiosity and asked, and the villagers told a ridiculous reason - it was actually a mobile phone number. Once this group of villagers, young and old, obtained a smartphone, they gradually compressed the world into the scope of mobile phone numbers. They shop, make appointments, and entertain through social software such as WeChat and Alipay, and almost all their daily needs can be solved on their mobile phones. So, just when the family was in a hurry to farm and harvest, they were addicted to the world of mobile phones and couldn't extricate themselves.
In addition to mobile phones, another peculiar phenomenon appeared in the village I visited next – Paradise Village. According to locals, since before the Spring Festival, the village has been full of people and fragrant gatherings of relatives and friends. Every day, many villagers and friends visit this usually quiet village, which looks very lively.
I asked curiously, "Why do so many people choose to visit Paradise Village during the Spring Festival?" and one of the villagers who accompanied me in the survey replied with a smile: "It all originated from a WeChat group called 'Paradise Village Condolence Association'." It turned out that this WeChat group was created by a young man in the village, who planned to use the Spring Festival as a good time to connect the villagers. At first, only people from the village joined, but unexpectedly, the news spread quickly, friends of friends, relatives of relatives joined in one after another, and the scale of the Paradise Village Condolence Association became larger and larger. Nowadays, this group has spread all over the country, and everyone knows a lot of good friends, and the Spring Festival has become the best opportunity to meet Paradise Village.
In my research, I was most pleasantly surprised to discover a special group of people – rural influencers, who have a large number of followers on the Internet based on the stories, landscapes and food they have experienced in the countryside.
One of the villages I once visited was called Flower Language Village. This village, known as the "Land of Reeds", has reed cultivation as its main industry. However, a young girl in the village has brought the village to the national spotlight. She shared her life on the Internet, showing everyone the charm of reeds and the beauty of the village. Today, she has become a well-known influencer with great success in rural tourism.
Just as I was puzzled by these anomalies during my investigation, I suddenly realized something was wrong. These problems may not only exist in rural areas, but perhaps each of us has similar problems. The popularity of mobile phones, the expansion of the circle of relatives and friends, and the development of the Internet are all factors that are changing our lifestyles and values. Perhaps, we need to re-examine our lives and rediscover that true affection, friendship and nostalgia.
As I write this, I seem to understand the deep thinking behind these rural visions. The Spring Festival is approaching, perhaps we can draw some inspiration from these rural stories, re-understand and cherish family and friendship, and pursue true joy and happiness in our hearts.
Feel life and reshape values. The Spring Festival is approaching, let us not be confused by the illusory comfort of the mobile phone world, but return to the embrace of family, friendship and home, to feel the real warmth and happiness.