Hello everyone, I come from a rural community in China.

[Estelle]

Hey everyone, I’m Yu Xing (Estelle).
I’m from Fuyang, Anhui, China, and I live in a village with over 20 years of community-building history.

I’m thrilled to be part of NAP3, excited that we will be working towards the same goal from different backgrounds. However, since my English is not very good, I’m worried about communication difficulties during the event. So, I wanted to share our story here in advance—I hope you like it.

Starting with Resistance Against Injustice从反抗不公开始

In the 1990s, before China abolished its agricultural tax, some local officials exploited taxation as a means of personal gain, placing immense pressure on the local people’s survival. People recall those times like this:20 世纪 90 年代，在中国取消农业税之前，一些地方官员将征税作为谋取私利的手段，给当地民众的生存带来了巨大压力。人们对那段时期的回忆是这样的：

*By 1997, township officials were imposing more and more fees on villagers—you had to pay a fee to buy a bicycle, to sell a pig, to farm, to have a child, even when an elderly family member passed away. Each villager had to pay more than 300 yuan per year, but they only had about one mu of farmland per person. A season’s wheat or corn harvest, under good weather conditions, would yield only 300–400 yuan per mu after deducting fertilizer and seed costs. If there were droughts, floods, pests, or diseases, breaking even was already considered fortunate. When villagers couldn’t afford the fees, officials confiscated their pigs and grains, sometimes even resorting to gangsters or law enforcement to forcibly collect payments. This led villagers to start their long and arduous journey of petitioning for their rights.

Starting in 1998, the township government cracked down even harder on petitioning villagers. Many were arrested, fined, or beaten. We began mobilizing households to sign petitions and raise funds together. Our representatives traveled to the capital to petition the central government and wrote letters to various agricultural departments.

Our efforts paid off. Corrupt officials were removed from power, and this movement indirectly contributed to the eventual abolition of China’s agricultural tax. Through this struggle, we realized that by uniting, we could support each other and become stronger. This was the origin of **Nantang Village’s community organization.

[Dahveed]

What an amazing story — you are real heroes! The abuse from corrupt officials reminds me a lot of the wild 90s in Ukraine where I grew up.

I’m glad to have you in NAP!

[Estelle]

Turning Towards a More Positive Force

By 2003, we noticed that prolonged struggles and resistance had brought immense fear and anxiety into people’s lives, leaving them exhausted. We couldn’t continue like this. So, the core activists proposed promoting participation through arts. Our slogan was:

“Promote participation through arts, promote cooperation through participation, and promote development through cooperation.”

It was easy to say, but hard to do. We invited people to sing and dance, but no one was willing to participate. After China’s economic reforms, collective village activities had diminished, and people had grown unaccustomed to performing in public.

Our core members held discussions and identified a group of elders in their 50s and 60s who had received cultural training during the Mao era. These elders had skills in music, singing, and performing in community shows. When we approached them, they fondly recalled those passionate times and agreed to join.

Their rehearsals attracted many curious villagers. We could sense that people wanted to participate but felt too shy. So, we actively encouraged them. At first, they were hesitant, but after attending a few times, they grew more comfortable and even began enjoying it. Before long, we had formed a 25-member women’s performance troupe. Enthusiasm soared, leading us to organize a “Farmers’ Cultural Week” with large-scale events, including a 100-person Yangge dance performance—a traditional folk dance with gongs and drums that filled the village with energy.

Many of the middle-aged and elderly women in the troupe had sons who had left for work, leaving them with heavy farm duties. Their health was poor, but after participating in performances, their spirits lifted, and their physical health improved. Women like Zhao Junxia and Xing Caiying, who had once lived difficult lives, found newfound joy and strength. As their well-being improved, so did their agricultural productivity.

We say that a person’s smile is the most advanced productivity in the world. It not only brings joy but also transforms production itself.

[Estelle]

Thank you. I wish all the suffering people can obtain happiness. I’d like to keep updating some of our stories. Nice to meet Cabin.

[savkruger]

Such a powerful story! Thanks for sharing!