Meng Xuanyou (C) and his friend make
preparation for a spring festival celebration gala in Nongding Village
of Bansheng County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Feb.
19, 2015. Nongding and Nongchao Villages are located in Bansheng
County, a rural area of uninhabitable karst topography in Guangxi,
according to the conclusion of some officials of the UN Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO). Local residents, most of whom belong to
the Yao ethnic group, has a frisky tradition boasting colorful festive
costumes, bronze drum and dance performance. However, this tradition is
fading away from local people's life as young people have more and more
opportunities to see the outside world. In the recent Spring Festival,
some young migrant workers and college students from Nongding and
Nongchao decided to do something about it--they organize a grass-root
celebration gala. It took them a few days to set up and decorate the
stage. They prepared performance costumes, snacks and beverages
themselves. The gala had no sponsor, no advertisement and no SMS voting
for the most popular performer. All actors came from Bansheng County. In
the opinion of the 21-year-old gala organizer Meng Xuanyou, who came
back from the neighboring Guangdong Province for the spring festival
family reunion, there are great changes in his hometown over the past
few years. However, culture activities of local people are still
humdrum. He and his friends hope this gala could become the initial
effort to bring back their traditional culture. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin)