Ushering Villagers to Take on a Leading Role 

In what "mysterious way" did Prof. Cong change the village and its people? To explore this question, the couple went to Gejia Village for seven times and met Prof. Cong there.

"The 'mysterious way' is to make the villagers the protagonist of rural revitalization. They're the backbone of designing. The artists' designs only serve as a reference. In this way, the villagers will have endless creativity when the artists' work ends," said Prof. Cong to this Polish couple. Countryside should not work as a show for artists, but an energy source for artists to inspire villagers!

Prof. Cong translated his words into action. At his suggestion, the villagers here became fully engaged in the art design work. For several times, these local residents had taken issue with Prof. Cong on his team's design. These responses excited Prof. Cong as, in his eyes, the villagers had already turned into the hero of this art-based rural revitalization! In order to provoke their sense of pride, 130 rural construction artists were named during an activity organized by him.

"Prof. Cong had never given big words to them; instead, he encouraged the villagers to participate in rural construction. This stimulated their creativity of rural revitalization and willingness to collaborate with their neighbors," Magdalena said with admiration. "The village becomes a home for everyone so a more harmonious neighborhood could be forged. Prof. Cong Zhiqiang made this art form function as an engine of collaboration, and it's worth learning for the whole world.”

In Gejia Village, art has indeed developed into a driving force of collaboration. Here, four families formerly in constant conflict with one another nowadays transformed the cluttered "disputed land" into a clean "four gentlemen's courtyard".

"To be human is to have and know your place." According to a sentence by Canadian geographer Edward Reiph, Artur expounded his own point of view that as long as one wants to get fully involved in your own space of living, he should become an active participant; and only in this way can immense creativity and happiness can be obtained.

Magdalena and Artur's interpretation of "villagers' participation" gives Prof. Cong more confidence. He said, "There are over 2.6 million villages across China. External assistance is far from enough. The goal of rural revitalization can only be achieved by stimulating villagers to participate in rural construction and become masters of their villages.”