(April 10, 2008, Anshang Village)

 

My fellow villagers in Anshang,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good Morning! It’s a wonderful day today!

It’s my great honor to stand here in such a beautiful spring day with blossoming flowers around. On behalf of Shaanxi Translation Association and Sino American Society, I’d like to extend our congratulation to the opening of the second Folk Art Festival in Anshang village and our warmest welcome to our 10 Global Volunteers coming all the way from the States. I’d also like to express my gratitude to the staff, who have helped in the preparation of the festival. My sincere thanks also go to the performers.

It is my 12^th visit to Anshang. What Anshang looked like during my first trip in 2001 is still very much alive in my memory. Both sides of the bumpy road were piled with cornstalks, manure, and trash.  Only a few tile-roofed houses could be found in the mist of grey color. Shortly after five years, the past scenes of Anshang are dramatically transformed. I learnt from the website of Anshang village, which is the first website established by farmers in Shaanxi province, that Anshang village has created 20 national records: the first 600- meter long cement road leading to the village, the first folk art festival held by farmers, the first village installed with street lamps, the first village of actual diplomatic  self-government, ect. For the time’s say, I am not going to elaborate on each and every one of them. Briefly, my twelve visits to Anshang have witnessed the great changes of the village. As a translator who began as a reporter, I had a collection of reports on Anshang village at home. Last night, I looked through those reports and found that only the two major newspapers in Xi’an have covered Anshang for 35 times.

As a witness of the tremendous changes in Anshang, I feel I am eligible to say a few words about its development. My submission is that, the success of Anshang can be concluded in a formula, i.e. (that is), 1+1＞2(one plus one is greater that two) or(1+1＞10), i.e., one spirit plus one system can burst forth inexhaustible power and hence bring forth miracles one after another.

Volunteerism is the spirit. Since 2002, there have been 180 Global Volunteers from 20 teams came here to serve. They have not only sowed here the seeds of Sino-American friendship, but also that of voluntary service— a spirit of dedication, which always puts the interest of others above their own. The infrastructure construction of Anshang owe very much to voluntary work. In a society that puts money above all else, such spirit is rare and commendable and is indeed a wonder-working magic that can conquer all difficulties. 

The system refers to the concrete villagers’ democratic self-governing system, established and implemented in the village in 2003. Experience has shown that once the advanced ideology and perceptions are accepted by farmers, and democratic rights of them are fully respected, their enthusiasm and creativity can be brought into full play. This will in turn be transformed in to huge physical power for the change of the village and building new life.

Anshang Village is a rural social practice base of STA. Many STA members have been here for voluntary work, who witnessed the great changes here. During their stay, they were greeted with great hospitality of the villagers. On behalf of all STA members,  I’d like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to all the villagers in Anshang village. Thank you!

In conclusion, on behalf of STA and Sino American Society, I wish the Second Folk Art Festival of Anshang Village a complete success! May the villagers’ live a better-off life! May Anshang become a real socialistic “Famous Village in Xifu”!