China.org.cn | July 10, 2024
Cnr.cn:
We know that the Cun BA (Village Basketball Association) basketball tournament and the Village Super League football games in Guizhou have been consistently popular, and we are all paying close attention. As grassroots events spontaneously organized and participated in by villagers, these rural competitions have not only attracted active participation from local residents but have also garnered widespread attention from audiences nationwide. What makes Guizhou's rural sports events unique? What are the next steps being considered? Thank you.
Li Bingjun:
Thank you for your questions. I would like to invite Ms. Zhang to answer.
Zhang Jingping:
The reasons behind Cun Chao and Cun BA receiving much attention and making Guizhou go viral lie in their unique features. I would like to share three keywords with you here:
The first keyword is happiness. When you go into a Cun Chao or Cun BA arena, you are greeted by a joyful atmosphere. There are no empty seats in the grandstands for around 10,000 people, and you can hear shouting, cheering and applause. These are all heartfelt expressions of happiness brought about by sport. This happiness vividly reflects the deep and fundamental changes, unseen in a millennium, to people's spiritual and material lives after comprehensively winning the battle against poverty. It can be said that people of all ethnic groups in Guizhou have become more confident and self-reliant on the new journey in the new era.
The second keyword is culture. Cun Chao and Cun BA are not only sporting events, but also cultural banquets. On the sidelines of these events, various folk performances, including Lusheng performances, wooden drum performances and the Kam Grand Choir of the Dong people, take turns to showcase various elements of Guizhou's colorful culture. Meanwhile, inside and outside the sites of competition, people in ethnic costumes can be seen singing and dancing. The prizes for the events are also our local specialties, and the whole process of the events integrate many aspects of our ethnic culture. People travel long distances to attend Cun Chao and Cun BA events and personally experience the cultural elements contained in them, while also being fascinated by Guizhou's unique ethnic customs. Guizhou, a magical land, has nurtured a colorful culture, enriching these sporting events with rich cultural connotations, and acting as a steady source of motivation for us to continue strengthening the construction of a colorful Guizhou as a cultural powerhouse.
The third keyword is rural style. Cun Chao and Cun BA were born in the countryside and are rooted in the countryside. Local villagers are the mainstay for organizing the events. They decide all the details themselves, and local Party committees and governments offer support to ensure the smooth running of the events. The organization and implementation of the events fully respect the principal role and pioneering spirit of the people, and constantly stimulate everyone's enthusiasm, initiative and creativity, reflecting the local essence of Cun Chao and Cun BA.
Currently, we are actively encouraging and supporting local areas to give full play to their natural and cultural resources and innovatively create brands for public sporting events. We believe that more sporting events with Guizhou characteristics will become a calling card of the beautiful province. We would also like to sincerely invite you all to travel to Guizhou, experience sport events, visit scenic areas, and appreciate up close the colorful ethnic customs and the charm of culture and sports. Thank you.