Nothing stops Hu, 62, from serving his village

Amid the scorching summer, a music concert brought together residents of a small village nestled in the mountainous Mentougou district of western Beijing.

As visitors and locals gathered for the open-air concert in Shuiyuzui village, many paused to reflect on the man behind the village's remarkable transformation: Hu Fengcai, a senior Party member and the village's Party secretary.

Hu, 62, played a pivotal role in restoring the village's allure after it had been ravaged by a devastating flood in July 2023, which damaged homes and infrastructure.

Hu spearheaded reconstruction efforts by restoring buildings, reviving tourism and lifting public morale, a celebration of which ended as a captivating music night.

Over the past two years, the entire village has been actively engaged in a multifaceted initiative. Some residents have been involved in construction projects while others have ventured into tourism enterprises.

Hu's leadership stretches back nearly three decades since 1997. He first led the village out of poverty by opening stone quarries, creating over 70 jobs for villagers and clearing long-standing debts, recalled Fu Hongchun, a villager, adding "Back then, we had nothing. He gave people work and hope".

But in 2007, with the Beijing Olympics on the horizon and concerns about environmental degradation growing, Hu made a bold move to shut down the quarries.

"Exploiting natural resources can't sustain a village," he told residents. Instead, Hu proposed a new path: tourism.

He began developing the ancient Jingxi Trail as a cultural attraction and invited historians to teach villagers about their own forgotten heritage. The village raised capital by pooling resources while lobbying for government support. The results soon followed with the creation of a scenic area and two museums.

In 2008, in collaboration with Beijing University of Agriculture, the village established a food company, completing an economic shift from mining to tourism.

Then came the 2023 floods which washed away much of the hard-won progress. "During the disaster, someone told me, 'Secretary Hu, even if everyone falls, you cannot'," he said. "As long as we have confidence, we will rebuild and it will be our third transformation."

Hu didn't step back. Instead, he intensified efforts to restore the village including rebuilding homes, launching new tourism plans and overseeing the construction of a nursing home.

In addition, he drafted plans to renovate vacant homes, build a four-star hotel and expand cultural tourism along the Jingxi Trail. His goal is to turn Shuiyuzui into a cultural landmark and a "welcoming parlor on the Yongding River".

Still on the front line of reconstruction, Hu said: "I'm a Party member and the village secretary. My job is to serve the people. That energy will never run out."

yangcheng@chinadaily.com.cn