The Enduring Charm of Bamboo

Wu Sifu, a poor resident of Zhu Village in Shuangjiang Town, Zhuxian County, deep in the Daba Mountains, was left with debts of over 100,000 yuan after both his parents died of serious illnesses. He made a living by crafting bamboo products with his skillful hands. Later, riding the wave of China's nationwide poverty alleviation strategy, he developed Zhu Village's tourism resources and promoted rural tourism. He organized villagers into a bamboo forest cooperative and built a farmhouse courtyard offering lodging, food, recreation, and entertainment, attracting large numbers of visitors. In the end, he combined bamboo culture with rural tourism and gradually turned a profit, paying off his debts.

As he developed rural tourism, Wu Sifu came up with the idea of incorporating bamboo suona performances. With guidance from the county cultural center, the bamboo suona became Zhuxian County's cultural calling card. The troupe performed across the country, enriching the spiritual lives of local farmers, and the tradition was later added to the provincial list of protected intangible cultural heritage.

Wu Sifu's family is a microcosm of poverty alleviation in rural China in recent years. Faced with poverty, they sought change and persevered, using their hardworking hands to compose a hymn to the diligence that brings prosperity to rural communities. They deserve to be remembered by time and recorded in history.