Nostalgic murals help village paint a future

chinadaily.com.cn|Updated: April 11, 2024

Li takes pride in this mural, since it is a favorite for many villagers.

Additionally, he created a series of Pristine Era-themed murals depicting scenes of livestock roaming without being fenced in, and children carrying baskets to collect manure and using oil lamps to do their homework.

"These things have almost disappeared now, but I have experienced them all in the past. So, if they are not recorded, they will truly be forgotten," he says.

As Li's interactions with the villagers increased, they began to treat him like one of their own.

"They often brought me vegetables and fruit. When I was painting, people passing by would greet me, and even children going to school would shout 'uncle' when they saw me," he says.

So far, Li has completed just over 100 murals of differing sizes that the villagers have come to view as treasures.

Some are in black and white, some in color, some in the form of comics, and some in the form of ink paintings.

All were created based on Li's understanding of the history of Duqu village through multiple surveys. He wanted his paintings to not only depict the joys and sorrows of its people but also to reflect the development of rural areas along the coast of Dianchi Lake, especially traces of rural vitalization.

Zheng Sicong has grown very attached to Li's murals.

"The things he has painted are really true to life," says the septuagenarian, who has lived in Duqu for more than five decades and for whom the paintings have been among the great changes over the years.

"In the early years, the village was full of dirt roads. Some people made a living fishing, while others relied on farming to support their families," Zheng says.

In recent years, improved policies have resulted in dirt roads in the village being paved with cement, and clean public toilets built.

"Everything is much cleaner, and now we have these beautiful pictures painted on the walls," he says.

Since the murals were completed in September, the number of visitors to Duqu has risen significantly, says Li Lifen, a village official.

"We had more than 800 visitors one day during Spring Festival, which is rare for Duqu, since no outsiders came to the village unless it was to see relatives or friends," she says.

Li Lifen often shows the wall paintings to visitors, and can tell stories about them, as many characters they depict are real people.

Some historical buildings, now in disrepair, have also been featured in the paintings, and she says they will be restored in the future.

Business owner Shang Ziwen has noticed the emerging boon from rural tourism. The 20-something man with a gardening background has started a plant business in Duqu and sells to customers via livestreaming.

"Now that our village has undergone (infrastructure) upgrades and renovations, I also want to integrate my business with tourism," Shang says.

He is considering changing his business model. "For example, using my existing high-quality plants, I plan to create a landscape attraction in Duqu, and also serve drinks and snacks, to attract more tourists," Shang says.

Duqu is one of 46 villages along the banks of the Dianchi that local authorities have chosen as rural vitalization models.

They are precious resources with unrivaled environmental charm thanks to the extensive wetlands and green belts in the area, says Li Shaojun, a senior official with the Dianchi resort area.

Each of the villages will highlight a distinctive theme based on their own particular characteristics.

Li Shaojun says artists are welcome to join the rural vitalization drive around Dianchi Lake and favorable policies will be offered to facilitate their work.

Even now, Li Kunwu still gets invitations from Duqu residents, asking him to come back and spend time with them.

He is reviewing his murals and doesn't rule out a second round of painting in the village.

"I particularly hope that the younger generation will be interested in these nostalgic paintings. I hope they are able to understand our past lives, the yesterday of our cities, and our nostalgic feelings," says the artist.


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