What is the future of rural civilization?

Northern Jiangsu

China’s rural areas are undergoing a profound transformation from tradition to modernity.

The launch of "new rural construction" has begun the process of accelerating rural modernization in the wave of urbanization and industrialization; the concept of "urban-rural integration" has accelerated the dual system in a larger space. Reform; the direction of "beautiful countryside" has given rise to another wave of rural civilization construction in the overall planning of economy, society, culture and ecology.

What is the future of rural civilization? We should also have deeper inquiries and longer-term pursuits.

First of all, we should get out of the discourse trap of "polarized interpretation" of urban and rural areas.

Urban civilization is advanced and a symbol of modernity; rural civilization is backward and a relic of the past. This polarized interpretation has been deeply embedded in the thinking framework of social consciousness, and it is completely a misunderstanding that has been misunderstood by the collective and inherited by public opinion. From this, the historical transformation of Chinese society and the modernization process of China's rural areas seem to be about using urban forms to transform rural forms and covering rural civilization with urban civilization.

In fact, this is the historical precipitation of the urban-rural dual social structure, the path lock of long-term urban-leaning policies, and the inevitable result of single-line evolution theory and economic determinism thinking.

Rural areas and cities are essentially two different living spaces and forms of civilization, with their own different operating paths and development laws. Promoting the integration of urban and rural areas and building beautiful countryside does not mean pursuing the same goal between urban and rural areas, nor turning the countryside into a city entirely, but rather respecting different civilizations, complying with different laws, and finding a way that ecology, production and life are consistent, and nature, culture and history are harmonious. Differentiated interactive coordinated development path between urban and rural areas. From the perspective of the evolution of civilization, we cannot cut off history; from the perspective of social changes, we cannot eliminate villages.

What is alarming is that it is the misunderstanding of polarized interpretations that has led to practical misunderstandings in some places that simply equate rural modernization with rural urbanization.

Originally, China's rapid urbanization has revealed its various shortcomings: the government is strongly dominated, investment is strongly driven, it is keen on encircling land, and it is blindly greedy for big things and foreign countries, and the results are the same for every city. Nowadays, when rural development insists on seeking inspiration and imitation from this urban construction model, its various drawbacks will pollute and spread to the countryside wantonly.

Thus, we see that the original "new rural construction" in many places was limited to the construction of new villages that simply improved the appearance of the villages, and became a popular display of political achievements; the later "new rural construction" "Communityization", many officials blindly copy the urban community construction model, using large-scale demolition and construction to clear the way, evicting villages to live together and driving farmers to go upstairs, which has evolved into an image project that wastes people and money. Can the current construction of "beautiful countryside" get rid of path dependence, fully respect the characteristics of rural culture, respect the characteristics of village layout, respect the characteristics of development stages, and stimulate the kind of habitat that "can see the mountains, see the water, and remember the nostalgia" Poetic?

Cities make life better. This is a return to the essence of the city. The countryside makes the city more desirable. This is the liberation of country charm.

The charm of the countryside lies in the natural ecology. As people stay with and integrate into their native land, they feel the breadth and tolerance of the land, and experience the simplicity and richness of life. Shanghai writer Wang Anyi wrote an article in memory of northern Shaanxi writer Lu Yao. One detail in it cannot be forgotten: "When we heard about the poverty and isolation in northern Shaanxi, we made such a scientific and bold suggestion to Lu Yao: Why not bring people into the country?" Migrating from Loess Plateau? These words actually hurt Lu Yao's heart. He was stunned for a moment, and then he said with a gentle and tolerant smile: How is this possible? We are very affectionate to this land. Oh! In the early spring, I was walking in the mountains, and there was a lot of loess. Suddenly, there was a pink peach blossom standing on the cliff. At this time, I shed tears. "That is in the twists and turns of life, a branch can always be moist." The peach blossom of our soul.

The charm of the countryside lies in historical memory. The village space and architectural style formed over thousands of years are engraved with rings of life and the genealogy of each family.

who I am? Where do you come from and where do you go? It is the cradle of our growth and the cornerstone of our development.

The charm of the countryside is also reflected in cultural identity. If etiquette is lost, seek help from others. "We live in the same well in the countryside, make friends when we go in and out, help each other, and support each other in illness." Local customs, village rules and conventions, wisdom in life, and grassroots beliefs convey local moral norms and rules of communication, and give us precious valuable resources and psychology. Take refuge.

The construction of "beautiful countryside" is to make the countryside more like the countryside, let civilization shine on civilization, and shine with its unique and eternal charm in the transformation from tradition to modernity.

Of course, the progress of civilization requires looking back as well as looking forward; it requires learning as well as creating.

The erosion of the market economy, the exodus of core groups, the spread of developmentalism, the increasingly serious crisis of population and resources, and the increasing marginalization and hollowing out of villages have all brought difficulties to the construction of rural civilization. A serious challenge has come.

Remember that nostalgia is not about indulging in pastoral nostalgia and disillusionment. The purpose of building a “beautiful countryside” is not to stand alone in each hollowed-out village, nor to simply restore each village to its former appearance. It is to draw traditional nutrients from local culture and from urban civilization. Absorb modern elements and create a new village form.

The connotation of the construction of "beautiful countryside" naturally includes the scientific planning of village residences, as well as the development and inheritance of local civilization. It must also focus on the issues that farmers are most concerned about and the most urgent needs of farmers, and strive to improve their quality of life. The construction path of "beautiful countryside" can be led by the government under policy guidance, or it can be built by village enterprises with capital going to the countryside, but it should all be independent construction that respects the wishes of farmers, respects local traditions, and respects natural ecology.

What is the future of rural civilization?

It is not a modern urban civilization, nor a traditional farming civilization, but a new rural civilization that is absorbing and creating.