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The six preserved villages along the south of the Dazhi River in Pujiang Town, Minhang District are entering full-blown rural revitalisation in ecology, culture, talent gathering, and industrial and agricultural growth.
Among them, Huizhong Village is becoming an Internet sensation where people can go camping and hold parties, and animals are befriended and well-treated.
Chen Xiangqian, a youngster from Taiwan, relocated to Huizhong last summer. Now he is the supervisor and manager of Xicun, a forest economy model space.
"I've been in the trade of public welfare for more than one decade, saving stray animals," Chen said. "I visited many rural places in China and finally chose to settle in Huizhong."
He performed trap-neuter-release on stray animals, and at first caused confusion among villagers.
"They thought we were hurting the cats and dogs," Chen said.
He made friends with a kind grandmother who raised pets but was afraid of stray animals, for she was once hurt by a stray dog.
Chen explained the reason behind his project and won her support. The grandmother introduced the benefits of what he was doing to other villagers.
Within a year, the team rescued about 30 stray animals, who were either fostered or adopted and the risk of stray animals hurting villagers was greatly reduced.
The young man is now a new resident of Huizhong and closely bonded with the villagers. He is planning to develop some pet welfare projects, which offer people emotional rewards and are thought highly of especially by young people.
"We will contact accommodation institutes and people for adoption of those rescued stray animals, through adoption day events, pet-friendly fairs and concerts, to engage pet lovers and young people," Chen said.
A musician as well, Chen has composed some touching lyrics for his second hometown – Huizhong.
He has founded a rural folk band with a group of young musicians. They hold concerts in the forest which are usually attended by music lovers, motorcyclists and pet owners with their cats and dogs.
Last summer, Chen Xiangqian came to Huizhong Village, Pujiang Town, Minhang District, and became a "new villager" in Huizhong Village.
"I have been doing public welfare for more than 10 years, and I have been rescuing stray animals everywhere, and I came to Huizhong Village with the introduction of a friend." Chen Xiangqian told reporters that he has been to many places, seen many rural areas, and enjoyed many beautiful scenery, but he was still deeply attracted by the beautiful village of Huizhong Village.
"When we first came, there were some barriers to integration, and the villagers felt that we were outsiders, didn't understand us, and regarded what we were doing as hurting small animals, and Tao Jiaying, the first secretary of the party branch of Huizhong Village, gave us great help and support." Chen Xiangqian said. Under the introduction of Tao Jiaying, Chen Xiangqian met Jiang Minglian, an enthusiastic woman in the village, who is also a pet lover and has a cute little black dog at home, but when it comes to stray animals, she was frightened by a stray dog that came out when riding, resulting in a broken hand after falling, and she still has palpitations.
Tao Jiaying and Xianxiang persuaded more active villagers to join the pet public welfare team to help young people sterilize stray animals and reduce stray innocent lives, and within a year, nearly 30 stray animals in the village have been rescued, so that they can be sheltered or adopted, greatly reducing the possibility of stray animals hurting people.
"For rescued stray animals, we will contact them for shelter and adoption, hold some adoption day activities, and also organize some pet-friendly fairs and pet-friendly concerts to attract pet lovers and young people to come and carry out pet socialization." Chen Xiangqian said that the team members took advantage of weekends and holidays to cheer tirelessly for the "hairy children", patiently explained the meaning of positive rescue culture and adoption to each inquirer, and tried their best to find a warm new home for them.
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Source: SHINEEdited by Wang ChenyiReviewed by Xu Leibing, Yao Yiying and Janice Tang
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