Creative Paintings Bolster up Rural Vitalization

Creative Paintings Bolster up Rural Vitalization

被华春莹点赞的新乡涂鸦小伙，用画笔带火了一个小村庄

 

Born in the 1990s, Shang Qinjie was praised by Hua Chunying, director-general of Chinese Foreign Ministry's Information Department, on twitter for his efforts on changing Xiaotun, a small village in Huixian county of Henan province, into an online "celebrity" with special paintings.

尚勤杰，江湖人称“大新”，就是在河南新乡，那个用画笔带火一个小村庄、被外交部新闻司司长华春莹在推特上发文点赞的90后男青年。

Creative paintings bolster up rural vitalization. [Photo provided to Henan Business Daily]

After working in city for years, Shang has changed Xiaotun village into a must-visit place, a fairy-tale world full of happiness, which attracts more and more visitors and is praised highly by Hua. It is also the praise that made Shang well-known.

华春莹称赞他从城市回到家乡，把曾经的小村庄变成了一个充满快乐的童话世界，使这里成为一个著名的网络打卡地，吸引了越来越多的游客。这样的点赞也成就了大新的“高光时刻”。

 

In the first interview on April 7, Shang expressed his dedication and love for what he is doing. "I'm so happy to see that my paintings on the wall could attract visitors and bolster up the living standards of the local people," said Shang. On the contrary, when it came to his second interview during mid-May, he showed his obvious reluctance.

4月7日，在对大新第一次的采访中，他还在小屯村挥舞着画笔，言语间充满着对这份事业的执着和热爱，“我画的涂鸦墙能引来流量、改善村民的生活，我真替他们高兴。”然而在5月中旬对大新的第二次采访中，记者明显感受到了他的抗拒。

 

"I met many troubles, such as being a focus, being watched at work, etc. Now, I'm even scared to work, to some extent." Shang was a little depressed at that time. "In addition, there are a lot of doubts and even abusive voices on the internet. Some people even say that I am just an online celebrity. I feel very confused."

“被关注、工作时遭围观……许多问题时不时困扰着我。现在工作，我甚至有些畏手畏脚。”大新有些丧气，“加上网络上有不少质疑甚至谩骂的声音，还有些人说我就是个网红，也就火一阵子，我有些迷茫。”

 

A month later, to the interviewer's surprise in the third interview, Shang has already picked himself up.

一个多月后，记者对大新第三次采访时，对他迅速调整过来的状态，以及话语背后难能可贵的清醒有些惊讶。

 

"It is a fact that I have fans." Shang remarked, "Since they all say that I am an online celebrity, then well, I'd like to be an online celebrity raised under the red flag. I will try my best to do whatever I can and should do."

“我有流量，这是事实。”大新说，“既然大家说我是网红，那好，我就当一个生在红旗下的网红，我拥有多大的能力，就做能力范围内该做的和能做的事。”

 

With a sense of sincerity, Shang has deeply understood the joys and sorrows of life within a few months. He often said that what he wants to do is to vitalize the rural villages.

在短短几个月的时间里，大新对生活的酸甜苦辣有了更深的了解，但他依旧有一颗赤诚的心。他常说，想用自己的能力，多做些促进乡村振兴的好事。

 

After becoming well-known online, Shang was confused sometimes, especially when he felt the gap between the ideal and the reality. He asked a lot of people what he should do, however, their answers were always about money. Some elders' words inspired him. "An old man in his 70s and 80s told me that helping someone in need was more meaningful than icing on the cake."

在“成名”后，大新有过迷茫，特别是在他发现了理想和现实之间的落差，他问过很多人，自己应该怎么做，不少同龄人说得最多的是变现，而当他跟一些长辈沟通后，简单的回答让他有醍醐灌顶的感觉，“一位七八十岁的老人家告诉我，雪中送炭比锦上添花更有意义。”

 

"Recently, dozens of villages have invited me to paint in their villages." Shang turned down many invitations since most of the villages were already well developed. "I want to go where I'm really needed and to see their changes through my own efforts."

“这段时间，有一二十个村子联系我，希望我去画画。”大新了解到，大部分的村子自身条件很不错，因此他拒绝了很多，“我想到真正需要我的地方去，我想看到通过我的努力，这个村子从贫穷到变了样，再到充满活力的样子。”

 

Shang plans to help another village for its development for the rest of the year. "For me, rural vitalization is not just about attracting people, but more importantly, retaining them."  He also shared his ideas that, "I don't like the temporary popularity and benefits. With all my efforts, I hope the visitors' enthusiasm could boost everlasting wealth and peace for the village."

大新说，下半年，他的工作重心是再去打造一个村庄。“我理解的乡村振兴，不是只把人带过来，更重要的是把人留下来。”大新畅谈自己的理解，“我不希望经过我精心打造的村子，收获的是短暂的流量和收益。我希望这种流量可以扎根，成为一个引子，通过内外共同的努力，发芽、开花，长成一棵大树，带来持续的富足和安宁。”（中文来源/河南商报 翻译/赵汉青 审校/焦丹）

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