Echoes of Tagore in Hills of Hunan: A journey through China’s new village dream
Times of India | 28 May 2025
Changsha (Hunan province, China): "I shall consider myself fortunate if, through this visit, China comes nearer to India and India to China – for no political or commercial purpose, but for disinterested human love and for nothing else," Asia's first Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore said a century ago. He first visited China in April 1924.About a fortnight before his 164th birth anniversary on May 7, a media delegation from Bengal was invited by the Chinese Consulate in Kolkata to observe China's poverty alleviation initiatives. It is also 75 years of Indo-Chinese diplomatic relations.Bullet trains (zipping at 310 kmph) from Changsha to the ancient Fenghuang town, via the state-of-the-art Aizhai bridge, took us to Shibadong, the model village showcasing China's "targeted poverty alleviation campaign." Shibadong, which translates to "18 caves," is nestled in the highlands of the Wuling mountains. Around 270 km from Changsha, the capital city of Hunan province in the south-central region, this remote ethnic village with its picturesque meadows and verdant slopes attracts tourists because of its success story and idyllic setting. It is not very far from Shaoshan, the village where Mao Zedong, the founder of the People's Republic of China, was born on December 26, 1893.Cut to November 2013. Around 130 households (more than 60 per cent of the Miao populace in Shibadong) were living below the poverty line. That is when President Xi stepped in. He walked to the modest dwelling of 72-year-old matriarch Shi Basan, who has now become synonymous with the transformation narrative."We chatted by the fire pit. I didn't recognise the General Secretary. He said I was his elder sister and that he was here to serve us. The General Secretary (Xi) checked if there was enough food, if we grew fruits, and if the livestock (pigs) was well fed. He went to the bedroom, turned over the quilt to see how much rice was in store…" Shi told the journalists from Kolkata. The President realised villagers were leaving every other day, looking for greener pastures (jobs). That is when he introduced the "targeted poverty alleviation" programme. Today, Shibadong exemplifies successful poverty eradication under the Communist Party of China's governance, flourishing through rural tourism, agriculture, and handicrafts, particularly renowned for Miao embroidery workshops.The delegation visited another landmark – Xiaqi village in Xianbaishi town – where former boat-dwelling fishing communities have transformed into successful tea cultivators residing in smart homes.The town is in the Fujian province, which, incidentally, has been President Xi Jinping's working zone as a young CPC leader. "Actually, every village, town, and city in China is the President's working area. He closely monitors their growth," quipped Consul Zhang Zizhong, who led the media team from Kolkata. "Around 1.28 lakh villages are out of poverty now," informed Zhang. To this, Xiaqi's mayor and CPP leader Zheng Yuri raised a toast of China-made champagne. The 42-year-old mother of two was born in a boat.(The TOI correspondent was in China at the invitation of the Chinese govt)