STORY: A rural female deputy's notebook
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 29, 2024
DATELINE: March 3, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:39
LOCATION: YINCHUAN, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Ma Huijuan working
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): MA HUIJUAN, Deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC)
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): MA HUIJUAN, Deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC)
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): MA HUIJUAN, Deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC)
5. various of villagers
6. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): MA HUIJUAN, Deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC)
7. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): MA HUIJUAN, Deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC)
8. SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): SUN JUANJUAN, Resident of Yuchi Village, Hongsipu District
9. SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): MA HUIJUAN, Deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC)

STORYLINE:

Ma Huijuan, a grassroots writer and national lawmaker from Hongsipu District in China's Ningxia, always carries a notebook with her.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): MA HUIJUAN, Deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC)
"Whenever visiting households or attending meetings, I will always carry a notebook to write down people's voices, to ensure that every suggestion we raise, everything we discuss, comes directly from the people, from their hearts, and is deeply rooted in the vast land."

Ma was born in a mountain village in Xihaigu, a region once deemed "uninhabitable."

Due to poverty, she dropped out of school at the age of 16.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): MA HUIJUAN, Deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC)
"I thought my future life would be a repetition of the fate of my father's generation, just tending to the land. However, at the age of 20, my hometown, Heiyanwan, witnessed the implementation of relocation policies. The policies encouraged a larger number of impoverished people to be relocated in the Hongsipu District (of Wuzhong City). This has brought about a profound transformation in residents' lives. Seizing this opportunity, my fellow villagers and I moved beyond the mountains and arrived at Hongsipu."

Hongsipu was once part of the Gobi Desert. It became one of China's largest settlement areas after a section of the Yellow River was raised and became a primary water source for locals.

The new life following the relocation sparked Ma's creativity.

Amid farming and part-time work, she began engaging in literary pursuits.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): MA HUIJUAN, Deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC)
"In the past, a woman's life quite often centered around the kitchen. After relocating to Hongsipu, we have more opportunities. I'm not only a housewife. Now I could step outside and strive to realize my personal value."

Over the span of more than a decade, Ma authored six books, and joined the China Writers Association.

In 2018, she was elected as a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress, and became a national lawmaker.

Since then, Ma has made frequent visits to local residents to learn about their needs, while taking with her a notebook.

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): MA HUIJUAN, Deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC)
"A notebook is for taking down casual conversations. During these chats, there might be some important ideas discussed, so it's beneficial to jot them down in the notebook and later, turn them into written suggestions."

In 2018, Ma established a reading club in the community, where women can read books and enrich their cultural lives.

Over the years, Ma has consistently focused on the development of culture in rural regions, and has put forth a number of related suggestions to the top legislature.

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): MA HUIJUAN, Deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC)
"I have raised suggestions like reinforcing the establishment of grassroots cultural coordinators, as well as enhancing online education for adults. Since late last year, Hongsipu has been promoting the development of the e-commerce industry. This not only allows more people to increase incomes through livestreaming sales, but also serves as a platform for residents to showcase their vitality."

SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): SUN JUANJUAN, Resident of Yuchi Village, Hongsipu District
"In the past, I was just busy taking care of the kids at home, and it felt like the entire day revolved around them and cooking, with not much else to do. After joining the reading club, I realized that books indeed have great value, containing a wealth of knowledge."

SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): MA HUIJUAN, Deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC)
"When we get together, the topic we often talk about is that, we are not just someone's wife or mother; instead, we are individuals with our own identities. In the development of our country, we can empower ourselves to start our own business, contribute to various causes, and fulfill our own aspirations."

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