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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.
去年夏天，陈向前来到了闵行区浦江镇汇中村，成为了汇中村的“新村民”，现在的他，主理着这片名叫“栖村”的林下空间，将这处空旷的林地打造成了一个可以露营、直播、组织萌宠派对的开放式林地“样板间”。
“我已经坚持做公益十多年了，一直在到处救助流浪动物，在朋友的介绍下来到了汇中村。”陈向前告诉记者，他去过许多地方，见过不少农村，欣赏过很多美好的风景，却还是被汇中村这个漂亮的乡村深深吸引了，正是这个原因，让他选择留在这里，并决定在“栖村”，探索建立林下经济模式的“样板间”。
“刚来时，融合是有一些屏障的，村民们觉得我们是外来人，不理解我们，把我们在做的事当成伤害小动物，汇中村党支部第一书记陶佳瑛给了我们很大的帮助和支持。”陈向前说道。在陶佳瑛的介绍下，陈向前认识了村里一位热心的嬢嬢蒋明莲，嬢嬢也是一位爱宠人士，家里养了一只可爱的小黑狗，但提起流浪动物，因她曾在骑行时被窜出的流浪狗吓到，导致摔倒后手部骨折，还是心有余悸。
听说了陈向前团队在做的宠物公益后，嬢嬢表示大力支持，成了陈向前快速融入村民的一座桥梁，陶佳瑛和嬢嬢一同说服更多活跃村民加入宠物公益的团队中，帮助年轻人们为流浪动物绝育，减少流浪无辜生命，一年内，已经救助了村内近30只流浪动物，让它们被收容或领养，大大降低了流浪动物伤人的可能性。
“救助下来的流浪动物，我们会联系收容和领养，举办一些领养日活动，也会组织一些宠物友好集市、宠物友好音乐会，吸引爱宠人士和年轻群体前来开展宠物社交。”陈向前说道，团队成员们利用周末和节假日，不辞辛劳地为“毛孩子”呐喊，向每一位询问者耐心讲解正向救助文化的意义、收养的意义，尽力为它们找到温暖的新家。
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Source: SHINEEdited by Wang ChenyiReviewed by Xu Leibing, Yao Yiying and Janice Tang
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