Villages adapt to changing times

New projects close the gap between rural and urban development

In his book Garden Cities of Tomorrow, Ebenezer Howard, an urban planner in the United Kingdom in the 19th century, supported the idea of combining active urban living with a pleasant rural environment.

As China sets its sights on advancing rural vitalization in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) after eradicating the last traces of absolute poverty by the end of 2020, numerous villages nationwide have transformed themselves into places that Howard would have been happy to visit.

In Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, villages have prospered by exploring distinctive ways to tap their potential.

While baseball is commonly played in China, participation in the sport remains largely confined to major urban centers. However, in Xujiadai village, Zhejiang, home to some 5,000 residents, the sport is played every day.

Professional baseball players have visited Xujiadai — which forms part of Pinghu, a county-level city in Jiaxing — to compete for prizes, while local children and farmers, as well as amateur players from urban areas, play the sport for fun in the village.

Late last month Xu Hanwen, an 11-year-old from Xujiadai, completed a training session clad in a baseball strip, his white teeth contrasting with his tanned skin.

"We played baseball for about four hours a day during the summer vacation," he said.

Earlier this year, the boy and his teammates won a championship at a national youth baseball competition, and he was awarded the best hitter award.

He was the envy of his young urban counterparts when they visited Xujiadai to experience baseball, which is expanding its presence in China.

Well-equipped baseball facilities, ranging from grass fields to games rooms, have been introduced in Xujiadai.

Xu is one of many local children who have received professional coaching in the sport for the past three years, with all costs covered by the village authorities in their efforts to boost the rural area.

Liu Jianqun, a senior official in Xujiadai, which has a long history of traditional agriculture, said, "You can tell from these children's tans just how long they spend training outdoors."

When Liu took charge of development in the village in 2017, he aimed to set it on a particular course.

"I used to play baseball, and saw how popular it is in a big city such as Shanghai, which is close to us," he said.

After carrying out comprehensive research and analysis, Liu made the bold decision to develop baseball.

"Villagers accepted our ideas, and even helped us make plans," Liu said. "It was all hands on deck, and not only was the environment improved, but unity among local residents was enhanced."