Eighteen Stories in Shibadong Village: Poverty Alleviation Series Volume One

By Li Di

The Targeted Poverty Alleviation programme was proposed by President Xi in 2013 and aims to give poor people the resources to lift themselves out of poverty. No fewer than three million cadres have been sent to the least developed areas of the country to educate, inspire and help the most impoverished people with financial support, jobs and business opportunities. The authors of this series of books visited some of the villages that were previously very poor, to document how developments in education, agriculture, health and tourism had created positive change. The authors wrote about what they saw, what they heard, how they felt in these areas and rendered them into touching and vivid stories.On 3rd November 2013, President Xi visited Shibaidong Village in Western Hunan Province and proposed for the first time 'targeted poverty alleviation', a national solution for reducing poverty. The book describes eighteen representative stories of the villagers in Shibaidong Village in their struggles to get rid of poverty and strive for a well-off life, and each story is told in the first person, flavouring with people's daily life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Unicorn
• Release date: Nov 29, 2022
• ISBN: 9781911397458

Li Di

Li Di is an Associate Research Fellow at Pfizer, USA

Book preview

Chinese Poverty Alleviation

Volume One

Eighteen

Stories in

Shibadong

Village

Di Li

Gao Hongbo

One

Eighteen Gods, Eighteen-Cave-Village,

Eighteen Arhats telling poverty alleviation,

Eighteen Stories are so vivid,

People of Xiang’xi owe a great debt of gratitude.

Two

For poverty alleviation, he bent knees,¹

In the misty rain of Xiang’xi, he went many times,

One poetic brush-stroke, the Eighteen-Cave-Village, across

Resulting in a group Portrait of Arhats.

(The Poet Gao Hongbo is a famous writer, the vice-chairman of China Writers Association)

1 Li Di is an elderly writer; even so for documenting the Eighteen Grotto Village, he disregarded the hardship of cold weather and his waist started to require medical care. Thusly, the poem illustrates so.

Contents

Title Page

Preface

CHAPTER 1: Jin Lan Honey I

CHAPTER 2: Jin Lan Honey II

CHAPTER 3: Let me cry in the mountain until no more tears are left

CHAPTER 4: Even if it is a cliff, I will jump

CHAPTER 5: The person shaved a character on the head

CHAPTER 6: Things won’t dissipate with winds

CHAPTER 7: Under pressure, as if a mountain is on your shoulders, but you would not bend

CHAPTER 8: Shibadong Primary School was full of blossoms

CHAPTER 9: The first step is always difficult

CHAPTER 10: Two happy events come at the same time

CHAPTER 11: The story of couplets

CHAPTER 12: Night talk at the fireplace

CHAPTER 13: A calm archetype character of a film

CHAPTER 14: Undefeated lotus

CHAPTER 15: The little stone at the stall

CHAPTER 16: Sisters’ Agritainment

CHAPTER 17: The decisive moment

CHAPTER 18: Yellow peaches are gold

Postscript

Those stories are so vivid in my eyes by He Qiuju

Write a new chapter in the era of tight steps by Li Guoqiang

Copyright

Preface

Eighteen-Cave-Village (Shibadong)is in the western Hunan Province. It is an ancient village of the Miao ethnic group.

Green hills are surrounding,

Green rivers flowing;

Wood buildings are next to each other,

Thousands of tiles are fish-scale-like.

The date, 3 November 2013, is marked in Chinese history with great significance. Because it is the day when President Xi visited the Eighteen-Cave-Village and proposed the ‘targeted poverty alleviation’ strategic guideline, he was standing under a tall, 300-year-old pear tree in the grain-sunning ground, addressing the Miao people. It was the preface of the story of Chinese national poverty alleviation.

Eighteen-Cave-Village was in a deep slumber of destitution. However, after the alleviation programme, it was out of the cocoon, turning to a butterfly with the colourful wings of diligence. So it is flying in the spring wind towards the life of well-to-do. The future is so sparkling and bright.

The village secretary, Long Shuwu told me, it was supposed to be the early winter; instead, we felt the spring breeze and pear blossoms burst with joy just over a single night!

Accidentally, he cited the famous lines by a great Tang dynasty poet Cen Sen (718–769 AD):

As though a gust of spring wind swept past overnight,

Bringing thousands upon thousands of pear trees into bloom.

It is so exhilarating, figurative and coincident —

Eighteen-Cave-Village consists of four hamlets: Pear, Bamboo, Flying Bug and Dangrong. The hamlet President Xi visited is called Pear because there is a sky-scraping pear tree.

In early winter 2019, I came to Eighteen-Cave-Village for plunging into the thick of life here. A beautiful Miao girl, Aya, offered me a homestay. Her family operates Aya Inn, hosting all kinds of travellers. I lived in Aya inn, leaving early in the morning and returning late in the night, climbing mountains, visiting hamlets. Then I interviewed the local people, keeping warm at the fire pits, drinking hot teas, chatting, listening to stories. All remind me of how the writer Ai Wu wrote his Journal of the South.

Walking in green mountains and alongside the clean rivers, I was constantly touched by poverty alleviation and self-improvement stories with the breeze of fresh winds and drizzles.

Pear blossoms are so adorable that I picked some and carefully preserved them……

CHAPTER 1

Jin Lan Honey (I)

Narrator: Long Xiulin, captain of the first targeted poverty alleviation team, vice-minister of publicity commissary, Huanyuan County.

One day, I was off work, and it was pitch dark. Suddenly there was a shade blocking my way, and I was pretty taken aback.

I carefully moved forward by the starry light and then realised the shade was not a pile of firewood but a human.

It was freezingly cold; who could it be?

Who else but the drunkard Long Xianlan said the villagers.

My mind sunk, remembering that Long Xianlan lost his father in youth, his mother remarried, and his only sister left with that marriage. He is on his own, drinking sorrows away. Where he can get drunk, he sleeps. The villagers said he is doomed and had become a pile of junk.

Here we are, the new year is well-nigh, every family was busy preparing, and he was again lying on the road drunk.

I quickly held him up, saying, bro, please wake up, wake up, come home with me!

I took Long Xianlan back to my house in the neighbouring village, where my wife was busy preparing the dinner for New Year’s Eve: Bacon, Sour Fish, Wormwood Rice Cake.

‘Well, well, well, who is this?’

‘My brother.’

‘Ah? You have never mentioned before!’

‘Haha, better later than never. My brother is spending the new year with us!’

‘Sure thing, I will fetch a pair of chopsticks!’

Long Xianlan was astonished. I said, ‘Xianlan, we share the same surname, so we must be related to previous generations. From now on, you have a family. You are my brother, and my parents are your parents!’

Subsequently, I called out my parents, said, ‘dad, mom, come and have a look; my brother is handsome, isn’t he?’

According to the Miao customs, the two elders seeing their son ‘picked up’ a brother, laughed very hard and officially honoured such a relationship by giving him a red envelope.

Long Xianlan was so touched to hold still. He kneeled with tears dripping like a river, saying, father and mother. He cried aloud, ‘It is unfair that I have been losing families. I was hopeless and became a penniless acholic. Now I regained a family, mom and dad. From now on, I am going to listen to you, my elder brother Xiulin and try to be a better person!’

After that, Xianlan quits drinking alcohol.

Whenever meeting people, I would say Xianlan is my brother; no one can belittle him and say he is an alcoholic; otherwise, I will not let it go.

Knowing this, the villagers kept their eyes wide open with great surprise.

Of course, helping Xianlan out of poverty has become one of the targets in my assignment in the village.

He is in his prime age, and it is insufficient having a part-time job. Therefore, I must guide him to have a proper business.

Firstly I helped him become a fishmonger, setting up a vendor’s stand and asking my wife to encourage her female friends to buy. But, unfortunately, Xianlan is no business person, clumsy in communicating. So, not long after, the business closed down.

What else? I racked my brains. Suddenly, there was a bee charging towards my sweet face. Bees gather not only nectar but also salt. I successfully dodged the bee, and the idea sparked. Why not let Xianlan learn beekeeping?

The Miao people know how to do beekeeping since ancient times. The procedure was making a beehive by hollowing out a part of the trunk, or putting the mud on a piece of bamboo, leaving a hole, then covering it with a bamboo hat and place it under the roof or rocks. In this case, bees will come and go at their will. But such a free-range way will not get many profits. On the other hand, if Xianlan can establish an apiary and mass-produce eco-friendly honey, one should not worry about selling. In this case, we would not be afraid of his clumsiness of talking, but the supply falls short of demand!

I told him the idea, and Xianlan clapped his hands, thinking it is a brilliant idea. But he also threw wide his hands, saying from whom he can learn the skills, besides he did not have the seed money.

I said a tutor had already been found. So if I had a piece of bread, you will have half of it. That is to say, you do not have to worry about the seed money.

After that, I spent my money introducing Xianlan to a beekeeping specialist in a neighbouring village and purchasing tools. Xianlan was clumsy of speaking but not inadequate at handicraft. After the training, he sold four hives of honey in the first year and earned 5,000 Yuan! He danced with joy and immediately thought of paying me back. I said there was no need. Besides, your house was so wrecked that winds and rains barged in without an invitation. You need to repair it and find a wife. Do you want to be single for the rest of your life?

Xianlan was about thirty and had no idea if there was a girl for him out there. There were many bachelors like him in the Eighteen-Cave-Village (Shibadong), which made the poverty alleviation team anxious. There ought not to be a family business without having a family. Without a family in the countryside, there is no hope because one can easily give up without family obligation and responsibility. Poverty alleviation became bachelor alleviation, and in those areas, a sense of family is solid and conventional. We must help them not only to find economic achievement but also psychological stability. Otherwise, the enterprise might not last long. Regarding this, the team organised blind dates.

I dragged Xianlan to the date, acting as his matchmaker.

At the critical moment, it turned out that Xianlan was not so clumsy; with my help, he managed to find a wife.

But, of course, the whole thing was complicated.

At this point, Long Xiulin smiled and said, Mr Li, do you want to know the story of tying the knot?

I said Captain Long, of course, I am intrigued.

Long Xiulin said, as the team leader, my words were too thick. How about I invite the young couple here tomorrow, and you can listen to the story directly from them? It would be much more enjoyable!

I said, sure thing.

Long Xiulin said you have a deal!

CHAPTER 2

Jin Lan Honey (II)

Captain Long honoured his words.

The next day, the young couple contacted me.

Long Xianlan and his wife Wu Manjin.

Xianlan was a handsome lad, with a square face and big eyes.

Wu Manjin was a bonny lass, with a round face and eyes big.

I said, the story, who goes first?

Xianlan said, let me start, because I am having a meeting after this.

I asked Missy Wu, is that alright?

Ms Wu said, I have always consented and authenticated his story.

I smiled.

Alright then, let the mister go first, as his name contains the character Xian, which means first in Chinese. Missy Wu, you can patch up after; perhaps, you will make the story better when he leaves.

Both Wu Manjin and Long Xianlan laughed.

Mr Li, I would not start with the drunkard story, as I am sure Captain Long had told you.

The chapter has long gone!

It is forever gone!

Let me begin with beekeeping.

Captain Long introduced me to the master beekeeper Ma Qingcheng; he is such a great guy!

Master Ma lived not far away from Huayuan county, and he was famous for beekeeping. The beehive farm was not huge but can earn 200,000 Yuan per year. He took me scouting the small farm, patiently explaining how to do apiculture, group the bees, and prevent diseases. Especially in collecting honey, he taught me hand by hand.

Learning with him, though, I thought that some people did apiculture in our hamlet but only kept one or two hives because the honey was for themselves or given to relatives and friends. As bees tend to sting, and some kids got hurt, then they quit apiculture entirely. That is to say, in my opinion, honey is not worth much money, and it is not merchandise. How to sell it? I was thinking, and the words burst out of my mouth somehow.

Master Ma giggled, haha, you are worried about producing honey while hard to sell, is it?

I blushed.

Master Ma said, how about this, taking a few kilogrammes of my honey to sell, and there is no need for bragging aloud in the street. All you need to do is to put the stall where travellers pass. Then you can give it a go.

I said, are you sure? You are too generous.

He said, well, it is quite right. Captain Long asked me to teach you and I intend to do it well, and you are not confident so I need to encourage you! Come, let me help you put the honey in the jars, one jar weighs 500 grammes, priced at 120 Yuan. And there is no room for haggling.

I took the honey to the T-junction in Pear Hamlet, where there were more visitors. Surprisingly I did not have to shout out loud because as soon as the visitors realised the honey was locally produced, they bought it all in two days. It turned out that they were looking for organic products. I received 1,200 Yuan and counted many times, the notes were actual, and not a single one was missing!

I was so happy and felt my heart turned into a blooming flower of joy.

Immediately, I returned to Master Ma, informing him of the great news and gave him all the money.

Master Ma chuckled; seeing is believing, right? Do you know that it is because there were many kinds of low quality honey in the market and it scared away those who wanted decent honey? In a countryside such as Shibadong, who would forge honey? Bees gather honey in the mountains from all kinds of flowers, wild ones. And it cannot be more eco-friendly, more organic than this so that you can sell such honey quickly.

I scratched my head; ah, that is why no one haggled.

Master Ma, seeing me giving him all the money said, ‘Why are you giving me all? You should keep 200 Yuan as the service fee. Come on, take it!’

Haha, this is the first time that I earned money by selling honey!

Then I learned the skills of apiculture. Upon leaving, Master Ma repeatedly advised that if I had any questions, I could contact him anytime.

Then I returned to my hamlet, started farming four hives, and the first year I earned 5,000 Yuan!

One year later, I expanded to fourteen hives.

And then I wanted to keep expanding. But I did not have any spare money.

I learned there was a policy for a business loan for targeted poverty alleviation, and each low-income family can get 50,000 Yuan. The government will cover the interests.

Therefore I went to the credit cooperative. The manager saw it was me, bursting, oh, it’s you!

I responded, yes, that’s right.

No loan for you.

Why not?

I am worried that you would take the money to buy alcohol.

I said that was all in the past; now, I am asking for a loan for beekeeping business.

No matter how I explained, he just insisted on saying no.

I had no choice but to ask for some help. I found Captain Long and told him everything. He chuckled.

He phoned the manager, saying, rest assured, I would be Xianlan’s guarantor. Just allow him the loan. If by the deadline, he cannot pay you back, I will pay. I give you my word right now.

Even though the team leader made a promise, the manager was still in much doubt.

He said to me, can I go to see your hives?

I said, sure, I will take you there now. The business is not flourishing yet, only fourteen hives spreading over the hill, not exactly a big farm.

The manager came to the site and said that although there were not many bees, the management was entirely professional and seemingly ready for business expansion.

‘Alright then, I will give you 20,000 Yuan upfront! Once you get more bees, just inform me, I will come to have a look again. If everything you claim is true, then I will give you the remaining 30,000 Yuan.’

I took the 20,000 Yuan and soon got more bees. Then, finally, the manager came and said, you are good, and immediately gave me the 30,000 Yuan. After that, my hives turned to more of a decent scale, and gradually I got fifty to sixty hives.

Apart from me buying more bees, the existing bees can be split into other hives. Thus, I got more and more bees. I would not brag, but I was famous for beekeeping in Shibadong.

Captain Long was pleased and said, Xianlan, now you have a good business. But, first, you should consider finding a wife. You are not young anymore, as you get older it will be even harder to find someone!

At that time, I was twenty-nine and considered an over-aged single person. People got married very early here, and many people become parents at the age of eighteen or nineteen. It was common to be fathers in their twenties.

There were a few over-aged single men. To help them ‘getting out of being single’, the team did something nice, hosting a blind date festival. They invited girls in the village or from the neighbouring towns. During the first festival, Captain Long took me on, saying you should get a date. If a girl showed interest, you need to offer her dishes and wine at the long table. During the critical moment, your words must not be clumsy!

That day was very festival-like, loads of girls came, and suitable single boys all attended. The committees of the village would firstly show boys and girls