Young official devotes life after college to improving village in central China’s Hunan province

Zeng Xiaoyao, a 21-year-old official in Tanghe Village, central China’s Hunan province, is devoted to providing services for villagers and making Tanghe better and more beautiful.

After graduating as a preschool education major in 2019, she briefly taught in a kindergarten. It was at the end of 2020 that she decided to apply for an administrative job in her hometown Tanghe, located in Hengdong County of Hunan.

Zeng Xiaoyao drives a cultivator in Tanghe Village, Hengdong County, central China’s Hunan province. (People’s Daily Online/Li Fangsen)

Zeng’s friends didn’t understand her decision, as they didn’t believe a young person like her could find good opportunities in a rural area. “I grew up in a farmer’s family, so I feel obligated to do my part for the countryside,” she said.

In January this year, Zeng was appointed as a member of the villagers’ committee of Tanghe as well as director of women’s affairs.

While advancing work related to civil and women’s affairs, Zeng has also had a hand in COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, spring farming, and road clearing after geological disasters.

Serving the senior residents by cutting their hair for free and driving them into town outside of working hours, Zeng is warmly welcomed by the elderly when she visits their homes.

Zeng Xiaoyao drives a cultivator in Tanghe Village, Hengdong County, central China’s Hunan province. (People’s Daily Online/Li Fangsen)

During the spring farming, Zeng drove her family’s cultivator to plough the fields for villagers for free. In fact, it’s not just cultivators; she can also drive pedicabs, minivans and excavators, according to the village official.

“Zeng is capable, bold and familiar with agricultural equipment and has formed bonds with villagers,” said Li Aimei, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) branch in Tanghe, adding that the CPC branch is considering recruiting Zeng as a CPC member on account of her performance.

Zeng and her sister are currently trying to grow jiaogulan, a herbaceous climbing vine, with the help of villagers. According to Zeng, villagers provided for free a total of 5 mu (about 3,333 square meters) of land for them.

Zeng Xiaoyao drives a cultivator in Tanghe Village, Hengdong County, central China’s Hunan province. (People’s Daily Online/Li Fangsen)

Jiaogulan can be harvested for three seasons out of the year. For each season, one mu of land produces about 300 to 400 kilograms of jiaogulan, with each kilogram bringing a profit of 80 to 120 yuan ($12.4 to $18.5).

Zeng and her sister hope that after their successful experiment, villagers will be able to increase their income by growing jiaogulan.

“I hope that one day, I can help turn Tanghe into a beautiful and idyllic village that surprises visitors,” Zeng said.