Impression of Poverty Alleviation • Lin Kou, Cheng’an County | Spring Arrives in Lin Kou
Lin Kou, a place full of poetry and picturesque beauty that sparks endless imagination; the real Lin Kou is also elegant and charming in its own right. What I'm referring to here is, the village of Wangmo Town within the 20-kilometer north of Gansu's Longnan City, County of Cheng'an,
There, you'll find flowing streams and picturesque bridges, farmers carrying out rice harvesting by the river, lush primary forests, villagers washing rice by the river, abundant green forests, charming rural landscapes like the Peach Blossom Spring, and legendary stories. The original ecology of Lin Kou village is even more vibrant, preserving the traces of primitive agricultural civilization. The soul of survival continues to thrive here, and you can still find childhood memories here.
If Township of Songping is considered as the 'back garden' of Changzhou, then the village of Lin Kou in Wangmo Town can be likened to a private villa in Changzhou's 'back garden'. Talking about Lin Kou village, I have a certain 'fate' tied to it.
In this prosperous and beautiful Changzhou area, there are 245 administrative villages. I have had the privilege of visiting and exploring over 231 villages, and Lin Kou village is one of the 14 that I had not yet visited. Perhaps heaven didn't want to leave me with a little regret of wanting to explore every corner of my hometown. Finally, in 2018, I had the opportunity to step into it during the village's poverty alleviation work.
Deep in my heart, I know I owe Lin Kou village an article, and I promised Xiao Ning Secretary that I would write a record about Lin Kou. However, it has been two years and I haven't even started writing. The reason is that I always felt uneasy because I hadn't experienced Lin Kou's four seasons, hadn't witnessed its cyclical changes. Therefore, I hesitated to start writing.
I was also worried that my writing wouldn't be able to accurately describe its beauty and its genuine, down-to-earth side. Secondly, I was afraid of disappointing my friends with a sincere and trusting expression of goodwill.
This inner guilt lingered for two years, and fortunately, in the second spring of Wangmo's poverty alleviation efforts, I was able to enter Lin Kou to help with the village's work of planting flowers and grasses. However, due to the short working time and the inability to appreciate its full glory, I still had a slight regret.
Things change, and sometimes things appear unexpectedly. 2020 was also my third year of poverty alleviation and village management in Wangmo Town. During this spring, along with Zeli and Hai Chao, we visited Lin Kou again, and fortunately we enjoyed the village's unique natural scenery. We were able to see its true charm and beautiful spring scenery.
In early spring, Lin Kou was like a delicate Chinese ink wash painting. Looking out, the village stretched north and south, with the two mountains facing each other. Rows of birch and willow trees were neatly arranged, and standing on the unpaved concrete road, a closer look at the greening trees along the forestry lanes, cherry blossoms and maple leaves had already sprouted, and the flowing river and road were closely connected, creating a spectacular and vibrant scene.
A clear river flowed through the village, like a shy young girl, beautiful and flirtatious. The riverbanks were filled with golden rapeseed flowers and green wheat, invigorated by the gentle spring breeze, creating a scene of vitality. In the distance, rustic four-paneled houses were renovated after poverty alleviation, shining brightly.
Our companion Hai Chao exclaimed, 'This village is even more well-developed than in Korea!' I said, 'That's certainly the case.'
We planned to return next year to harvest the 'Ten Lucky Flowers' that had been planted last year, which is why we came to Lin Kou.
Entering his clean and tidy environment, we were impressed by his diligence, and after checking the seed situation, we learned that the problem was due to the low temperature in the area, and the seeds hadn't fully matured. However, the viable seeds were not affected, and we were told to apply fertilizer in moderation.
Seeing the village chief's pragmatism, he led the villagers to plant peppers and mugwort, turning over 50 acres of idle land, and our companion asked him, 'Why so many plants?' He said, 'Everyone's eyes are on me, as a village leader and party member, I want to lead by example and encourage the villagers to have more confidence.'
Looking at the village chief's black face, which was tanned by the sun, he was full of energy, we were deeply impressed by his frankness and willingness to endure hardship, and we were proud of this native village chief, and we also praised his practical and realistic work style.
The cloudy weather changed as we talked, and we didn't realize it had turned into a sunny day. The warm spring sunshine radiated with a charming color, bringing the breath of early spring, making us feel refreshed and relaxed. In this beautiful spring, we wandered through the most beautiful village.
We were invited to eat lunch at the village chief's home, and before coming to Lin Kou, we had already told Yongbo, a friend, to have lunch at his place. We reluctantly said goodbye to the beautiful Lin Kou village and its spring scenery.
I know that in the coming rainy days, the trees and crops in Lin Kou will become more lush and thriving, and Lin Kou's natural landscape will be even more vibrant and fresh. Therefore, I look forward to the planting of peppers and mugwort in Lin Kou, as well as the healthy growth of crops after spring rain.
My impressions and feelings of Lin Kou are only a small perception; through the illusionary and beautiful scenery, there is a complete primitive ecosystem, unique mountain scenery and landforms, and the special features of echoing landscapes. Facing Lin Kou's mountains, rivers, and people, I realized my own insignificance. It's difficult to describe it with shallow words, and it's difficult to paint a beautiful landscape of Lin Kou with words.
As the sun shone, we waved goodbye to the trees and fields along the road, and our companions also felt happy. We couldn't stop thinking about returning next year to enjoy the beauty of Lin Kou's natural landscape.
On March 25, 2020, Ding Lei wrote about Lin Kou Village in Wangmo Town.
