"Z Generation" Taiwanese Youth Going to the Countryside: Willing to Build a Bridge for Cross Strait Agricultural, Cultural and Tourism Communication, Swan Lake | Ginkgo | Agricultural Culture
Jiaxing, July 12th, China News Agency (Xinhua) - Question: "Generation Z" Taiwanese Youth Going to the Countryside: Willing to Build a Bridge for Cross Strait Agricultural, Cultural and Tourism Communication
Author Hu Fengsheng
In the scorching summer, walking into the Ginkgo Swan Lake located in Xiuzhou, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, groups of egrets soar on the water surface, while several black swans wander. The blue sky, green trees, and clear water complement each other, forming a beautiful picture of the plain wetland.
"The small train of 'wuwu...' shuttles between the Ginkgo Swan Lake, with lush greenery in summer and golden autumn," said Meng Ting, assistant to the chairman of the board of directors of Minshi Holdings, who is in charge of park work. Apart from the beloved thousands of ginkgo trees and clusters of black swans, the most popular train here is the one that shuttles through the forest.
A steam style retro small train slowly shuttles through the forest, time seems to flow slowly. Meng Ting said that this peaceful and comfortable state of mind may be the reason why he chose to root in the countryside.
In 2003, Meng Ting followed her parents from Taiwan to Ningbo, Zhejiang. Afterwards, she completed her junior and senior high school studies in Jiaxing. After graduating as a graduate student from the University of Glasgow in the UK in 2020, she chose to return to Jiaxing to work.
"The Ginkgo Swan Lake has a water area of nearly 1500 acres, and we have spent a lot of time and effort to make the wetland present the local characteristics of a water town. Now, its water quality has changed from inferior Class 5 water to Class 2 water, and in some places it can even be close to Class 1 water." Meng Ting said that in the construction of the Ginkgo Swan Lake project, many environmental protection concepts have also been integrated, such as harmonious coexistence between humans and animals, and attention to biodiversity.
Now, this "post-95" girl is not only responsible for communication and coordination of the Ginkgo Swan Lake project, but also passionate about rural revitalization. She has started to be responsible for agricultural projects such as Bafu Farm, Jiahe Pastoral, and Golden Countryside. By introducing Taiwan's seedling and fattening technologies, she has built high-quality rural revitalization demonstration areas.
"The biggest feature of the Jiahe Pastoral Agriculture Project is the overhead rail train, where tourists can directly enjoy the beautiful rural scenery from the small train." Meng Ting said that unlike the Ginkgo Swan Lake, this project mainly focuses on rice cultivation, cultivating aquatic species such as fish, shrimp, and crabs, and supporting the construction of small trains, rice field children's experience gardens, agricultural culture squares, and agricultural experience halls, showcasing the rural scenery in different times and spaces, aiming to allow tourists to get close to the countryside and interact with nature in the most modern and convenient way.
In Meng Ting's view, urban new farmers who mainly focus on rice cultivation are not facing the yellow soil and facing the sky. They need to make new achievements in management concepts, planting techniques, marketing methods, and other aspects.
She said that Taiwan has its own characteristics in the development of refined agriculture, while the mainland has spatial potential in the consumer market, and can combine the two to create its own unique characteristics.
Now her career is taking root in Jiaxing and blossoming in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration. She said she plans to invite more Taiwanese youth and agricultural experts to visit the mainland in the future, exploring new opportunities for agricultural development in the mainland. "Jiaxing is also striving to build beautiful countryside, and there are many resources to be developed. Engaging in the modern rural landscape of building beautiful countryside is also a new opportunity for many young people." Meng Ting said, hoping to explore freely in the vast countryside like a pigeon.
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