Not Just Happiness: What Does "Village Super" Bring to Small Cities in Southwest China? Folklore | Football | Small Town

On July 15th, people watched the Guizhou "Village Super" football match. Photo by Yang Wenbin, journalist from Xinhua News Agency

Guiyang, July 27th, Xinhua News Agency (Xinhua) - Not Just Happiness: What Does "Village Super" Bring to Small Cities in Southwest China?

Xinhua News Agency reporters Luo Fei, Zhou Wenqi, and Jie Wentao

Speaking of the upcoming "Village Super League" semi-finals on the 28th, 39 year old Yang Lin is full of anticipation. From the group stage to the semi-finals, he not only yearns to continue winning, but also hopes to meet more friends who love football and run and compete with them on the green field.

As an individual business owner, Yang Lin's daily social circle is relatively narrow. Since May this year, he, who enjoys playing football, has represented the Zhongli Village Football Team in the "Village Super League" competition in Rongjiang County, and has only made more friends.

"Fierce confrontations on the field are inevitable. However, football can bring teams closer together, and friendship and joy are constantly transmitted between each other," said Yang Lin.

In Yanglin's hometown of Rongjiang County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, since the start of the Rongjiang Hemei Rural Football Super League in May, it has quickly become popular all over the internet due to intense competition on the green field, ethnic minority customs of singing and dancing, and the strong rural flavor.

On July 15th, Yang Zongwei, a player of the Liubaitang Village football team, dribbled and attacked during a match with the Yuezhai Village football team. Photo by Yang Wenbin, journalist from Xinhua News Agency

Netizens have given the title of "Village Super" to this highly popular rural football league. As of now, the total online traffic of "village supermarkets" that have completely gone viral has exceeded 30 billion times, and this number is still rising.

"World Wave", "Tiedi Zhan", "Yuanyue Bendao"... Behind the repeated brilliant goals on the "Village Super" field, it is closely related to the extensive and profound foundation of mass sports in Rongjiang.

According to statistics, Rongjiang County, with a population of less than 400000, has 14 standard football fields. There are about 40 mass amateur football teams and more than 1200 players in the county, as well as 14 national youth campus football characteristic schools, which are typical county-level football in China.

17-year-old Yao Maoqiang is a member of the Xinzhong Village football team in Rongjiang County. The average age of this football team is only 17 years old, which is the "new generation" rooted in the fertile soil of local folk football culture.

On the green field of the "Village Super League", this young team full of youthful smiles is always full of vitality. When it comes to the love of football among ordinary people, Yao Maoqiang joked that in the past, locals used to say "they can walk and dance", but now it's "they can walk and play football".

The village supermarket is further fueling the sports craze in Rongjiang, driving more local people to love sports.

Previously, there was no professional football team in the Zhongli Village where Yang Lin was located. Now, with the popularity of the "Village Super League", local high schools have also started to form campus football teams and hire coaches to carry out professional training.

What pleased Yang Lin the most was that during this period, there has been a continuous increase in football training institutions for children in Rongjiang County, and the training personnel are generally more professional. "Nowadays, people pay more attention to cultivating from a young age and focus on cultivating interests," he said.

The popularity of "Village Super League" stems not only from the superb football skills of players on the field, but also from the display of ethnic minority culture with great charm.

On June 30th, villagers displayed ethnic costumes at a cultural and creative booth next to the "Village Super" football field in Guizhou. Photo by Yang Wenbin, journalist from Xinhua News Agency

Rongjiang County is home to 15 ethnic minorities, including Miao, Dong, Shui, Yao, etc., accounting for over 83% of the total population of the county. There are world intangible cultural heritage sites such as the Dong ethnic song, and national intangible cultural heritage sites such as the Dong pipa song.

In addition to the competition, Dong girls sing Dong ethnic songs, while Miao people hold lusheng and perform lusheng dance. Audiences of all ages gather in a circle to dance the Duoye dance... The unique cultural charm of the local ethnic group is infecting more people through the "village supermarket" stage.

Recently, at the "Super Saturday" entrance exhibition in Rongjiang County, villagers from Langdong Town were the "main characters". They walked onto the football field, dressed in festive attire, singing and dancing, with bright and confident smiles on their faces. Especially the "golden dragons" and "golden phoenixes" made of bamboo strips and straw tied by village residents, flew towards the center of the stadium amidst the cheers and crowds of villagers, making people's eyes bright.

Miao young man Ayi, dressed in festive attire at the scene, sighed and said that the agricultural culture engraved in the bones of Miao ancestors vividly interprets the saying "what belongs to the nation is what belongs to the world" through the unique presentation of bamboo strips and straw. "The 'village supermarket' is the stage. The uniqueness and charm of ethnic minority culture are spreading throughout the country from here," said Ayi.

The strong rural flavor is also an important factor in the popularity of "village supermarkets". As netizens exclaim, "The level and flavor of the soil have emerged," and "I have felt the nostalgia and found the nostalgia.".

There are many delicious foods in Rongjiang County, among which the beef jerky, known as "Baicao Soup", is unique. It is a hot pot with a slightly bitter soup but a spicy aroma. Nowadays, visiting the "village supermarket" in Rongjiang and eating beef jerky has become a must check in activity for many tourists.

On July 1st, tourists were shopping for silver jewelry at a cultural and creative booth next to the "Village Super" football field in Guizhou. Photo by Yang Wenbin, journalist from Xinhua News Agency

Zhongli Town, located 9 kilometers away from Rongjiang County, is the most famous producer of beef and mutton in the area, with beef and mutton hot pot restaurants scattered on both sides of the street. During this period, Zhou Guangmeng's Open Door Red Bull Weakened City operated from 8am to 8pm every day.

"Previously, the monthly turnover was only 60000 to 70000 yuan, but now the monthly income has more than doubled." Zhou Guangmeng said that every weekend, the store has to have 9 people to be busy every day, and at least 2 cows need to be slaughtered, which is equivalent to selling over 600 pounds of beef a day.

According to incomplete statistics, since the start of the "Village Super" competition, 22 small and large beef restaurants in Zhongzhong Town have achieved a cumulative operating income of over 10 million yuan.

"Looking at 'Village Supermarket', I really want to experience the local customs and traditions. The hot and spicy taste of beef hot pot is also a reflection of the local hospitality," said Li Jiachun, a tourist from Guangzhou.

From July 1st to 16th alone, Rongjiang County attracted 921200 tourists and achieved a total tourism revenue of 1.075 billion yuan.

Rongjiang County, once a deeply impoverished county, completely tore off the poverty label in 2020, and the people have a stronger drive for independent development. Nowadays, in the process of promoting rural revitalization, they participate in various forms of "village supermarkets", share the dividends of "super economy", and pursue a higher level of spiritual life.

Zhou Guangmeng said that after poverty alleviation, the production and living conditions are much better than before, and people pay more attention to the quality of life. Everyone participating in the "Village Super" not only enjoys the excitement, but also reflects a confident and uplifting spirit.