— Xincheng Subdistrict in Yangxin County Innovates with Its “Village Gala for the People” Civic Culture Program
“We’re not just watching a show; we’re seeing the new life we’ve built together!” These heartfelt words from a resident after a “Village Gala for the People” concluded in Xincheng Subdistrict, Yangxin County, vividly illustrate how civic culture initiatives in the new era are taking root at the grassroots level. Since 2024, Xincheng Subdistrict has developed its distinctive “Village Gala for the People” brand, integrating the events with Party-building leadership, civic culture initiatives, public services, and grassroots governance. This has helped establish a new framework for civic culture based on cultural empowerment, diversified integration, coordinated participation across the subdistrict, and joint development and shared benefits. To date, the subdistrict has held 39 “Village Gala for the People” events, benefiting more than 300,000 people both online and offline. Hengtai Community and Liyuan Community have been recognized as provincial demonstration sites for the “Four Seasons Village Gala” program, and public satisfaction with social conditions in the subdistrict ranked first in the county in 2025.
Xincheng Subdistrict adheres to the principle of “residents create, write, and perform their own shows,” returning full creative and performance rights to the community. Aunt Wang from Liyuan Community is a representative example. After learning that a “Village Gala for the People” was being organized, she turned changes in her neighborhood—including road renovations, improvements to residential communities, and upgraded elderly care services—into a rhythmic clapper-talk performance. The audience responded with sustained applause. Aunt Wang remarked emotionally, “I never imagined that an ordinary elderly woman like me could stand on stage and talk about the better life we’re enjoying.” She has since become a key member of the community’s cultural and artistic activities, encouraging neighbors to form teams and rehearse together.
For years, the subdistrict has relied on its eight communities to operate a rotating hosting system, ensuring that at least one village gala is held every month. Program material is drawn directly from residents’ daily lives, the development of the local pear-growing region, and local revolutionary history. Since the initiative began, more than 2,000 submissions have been collected from residents, over 300 high-quality performances—including songs, dances, skits, and instrumental pieces—have been developed, and more than 50 professional arts training sessions have been organized. The program has also nurtured over 80 local cultural and artistic leaders. Increasingly, residents are moving from being passive observers of civic culture initiatives to becoming active participants and owners of the process.
The intangible cultural heritage performance Carrying the Dragon King, staged by Hengtai Community, embodies the nostalgia and collective memories of several generations. This folk tradition had nearly faded from public view, surviving mainly through the oral accounts of older residents, while few young people knew much about it. The subdistrict organized teams to seek out veteran folk artists and verify historical records, bringing together performers from different generations for rehearsals. Residents in their seventies taught traditional techniques step by step, while teenagers learned and experienced the customs firsthand. At village galas, many elderly audience members have been moved to tears by the performances. An intangible cultural heritage exhibition area is also set up at every event, showcasing more than ten traditional cultural items, including ox-bone carving and auspicious Bubugao rice cakes, giving residents opportunities to experience these traditions up close.
At the same time, the subdistrict has explored local revolutionary heritage, including the heroic deeds of Liu Deyu, and developed 36 distinctive performances, such as Stories of the Pear-Growing Region and Heroes. Through skits and dramatic scenes depicting everyday acts of filial devotion, care for the elderly, and mutual assistance among neighbors, the program promotes core socialist values in a subtle and engaging way.
During breaks between performances, presenters explain public welfare policies in the local dialect, covering topics such as medical insurance reimbursement, minimum-living-standard assistance, and fraud prevention and security. To date, 22 sessions combining cultural performances with policy briefings have been held, and more than 300 public inquiries have been answered, helping bridge the “last mile” in delivering services to residents.
The village galas feature a special segment called “Pomegranate Flowers in Bloom,” in which volunteers use stories from everyday life to promote ethnic unity. Residents from ethnic minority groups also take the stage voluntarily to share heartwarming experiences from community life. So far, 12 themed presentations have been held, reaching more than 5,000 person-visits and helping embed the principle that “all ethnic groups should embrace one another as tightly as pomegranate seeds” within the community.
The subdistrict has also coordinated with more than 70 organizations participating in the “Dual Registration” program, under which Party organizations and Party members register with local communities to support grassroots initiatives. Taking advantage of the large crowds drawn by the village galas, these organizations have provided more than 80 volunteer service sessions, including free medical consultations and haircuts. The subdistrict has also partnered with local supermarkets, shopping centers, and restaurants to introduce public-benefit offers and stimulate community consumption. After enjoying the performances, residents can access health screenings, policy consultations, and other services in one convenient location. In this way, the benefits of civic culture initiatives translate into tangible improvements in residents’ sense of fulfillment and happiness.
Through these small-scale village galas, Xincheng Subdistrict is promoting a broader culture of civic virtue, ensuring that civic culture initiatives in the new era take root, flourish, and deliver lasting results at the grassroots level.
