Literature fest sparks rural reboot

Architectural experts who have gained a hands-on understanding of the pros and cons of rural reconstruction through their work were also invited to hold a dialogue with the writers, which resonated so strongly with the villagers that some of them surrounded the speakers afterward hoping to expand their discussions.

He Wei, assistant professor at the school of architecture at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, who has been leading several projects in the countryside, thinks a major problem is the conflicting demands between the elite class of city dwellers, who tend to seek spiritual comfort in village life, and the villagers themselves who naturally want to improve their quality of life. However, many of the rural traditions have been lost during the process.

"Once they leave the countryside, it's hard for people to come back and settle, both in person and spiritually," he says.

One aim of the literature festival is to improve the cultural appeal of the countryside so as to attract people back, Jia says. The organizers are also working to promote communication between the authors and the villagers, and encourage more reading activities.

Rural resident Ren Chunhua, 63, who now works as a narrator at a local history gallery, was listening to Ge Fei's lecture in her gallery neighboring the festival venue and wanted to buy his work and got the writer's signature. She thought Ma's work inspired by village life in the 1950s was well-written and accurately reflected the reality there.

Literature aficionado Cao Liang drove for two hours from Taigu county to attend the lectures. Having collected all of Su's books and being familiar with many of the guest authors' works, he is currently writing his own novel.

Villagers took turns to attend the festival, a move which Ren believes will invigorate the local cultural environment and raise Jiajiazhuang's profile.

The festival was held in an open square at a cultural zone redeveloped from a local cement plant, a former symbol of its economic boom. And the locals are working together to turn the venue into a cultural landmark that will eventually include a cinema, a creative writing residence and a cultural center named after Jia.