STORY: Narrow alley, broad minds | Cultural China
DATELINE: Sept. 16, 2023
LENGTH: 00:03:54
LOCATION: HEFEI, China
CATEGORY: Culture

SHOTLIST:
1. various of alleys
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZHANG YUN, Party secretary of Liuchixiang Community, descendant of Zhang Ying
3. various of Zhang Yun
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): HU AOLI, Party secretary of Xidi Village, descendant of the Hu family
5. various of Hu Aoli
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): ZHANG YUN, Party secretary of Liuchixiang Community, descendant of Zhang Ying
7. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): HU AOLI, Party secretary of Xidi Village, descendant of the Hu family
8. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): ZHANG YUN, Party secretary of Liuchixiang Community, descendant of Zhang Ying

STORYLINE:

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZHANG YUN, Party secretary of Liuchixiang Community, descendant of Zhang Ying
"In Tongcheng, there are many alleyways, but I believe this alley is the widest.
Liuchixiang (Six-Foot Lane) Community is located in the old city of Tongcheng, home to more than 7,000 residents. I have been working here for 23 years. Community work involves many aspects of people's daily lives and is quite complicated. However, our ancestor's wisdom has been a great help in the community work.
Rangyuan serves as a grassroots community governance practice point for us. When local residents encounter any issues, they would come here and talk with me. We'll have a cup of tea, chat, and discuss matters.
This is another story between neighbors.
Neighborhood matters should still be resolved through mutual understanding and reasoning among neighbors.
Over 300 years ago, a dispute arose between the ancestors of our Zhang family and their neighbors over property boundaries. At that time, they wrote a letter to Zhang Ying, who held a government position in the capital. In response, Zhang Ying wrote a poem: 'A letter arrives, concerning a wall's small span. Three feet conceded, what harm is done? The Great Wall still stretches for thousands of kilometers today. But the first emperor of Qin Dynasty is long gone.'
Upon receiving this letter, the Zhang family voluntarily conceded three feet in the alley. Touched by their gesture, the Wu family also decided to concede three feet in the alley. This is how 'Liuchixiang' (Six-Foot Lane) came into existence."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): HU AOLI, Party secretary of Xidi Village, descendant of the Hu family
"In our Xidi Village, when the round "peace table" is set up, the knots in our hearts will be untangled.
Peace is possible when people make compromises. 'Take a step back and think' is the ancestral motto of our Hu family. When our ancestor Hu Wenzhao was renovating the ancestral home, he took the initiative to cut off wall corners for pedestrians, and wrote 'take a step back' on the door, advising future generations to 'make straight into round, facilitating others.'
Such a sense of 'harmony' can be found everywhere in Huizhou. It is the root of Huizhou culture and has long become an emotional identity and moral habit for us locals.
Today, many tourists will specifically come to see the 'harmonious' architectural style of Huizhou and hear the story of 'Take a step back and think.'

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): ZHANG YUN, Party secretary of Liuchixiang Community, descendant of Zhang Ying
"The breadth of Liuchixiang is not defined by its mere six feet in physical width; rather, it also symbolizes the broadening of people's hearts. Nowadays, the alley is a popular attraction in Tongcheng, and it continues to be traversed daily by local residents.
We use its stories to mediate disputes, and draw on its wisdom in grassroots social governance. Thanks to this alley, China's fine traditions such as courtesy, harmony, neighborly kindness, have been deeply ingrained in the hearts of the Chinese people.

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): HU AOLI, Party secretary of Xidi Village, descendant of the Hu family
"Taking a step back and thinking is to move forward. Today, we are infusing traditional culture with new meanings and applying it effectively in various aspects such as dispute resolution, Party member education, scenic area management, and more. In the realm of social governance, we draw from the past to enrich the present.
In 2022, the collective economic income of our village exceeded 9.2 million yuan (1.2 mln USD), and the disposable income of villagers per capita was nearly 50,000 yuan (6,872 USD). A positive culture can lead to a better quality of life."

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): ZHANG YUN, Party secretary of Liuchixiang Community, descendant of Zhang Ying
"Wide or narrow, advance or retreat, how should one choose? In fact, our ancestors have long provided us with the answer."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Hefei, China.
(XHTV)