Soccer tourism promotion in Yangwei, Guizhou province

Monday, April 19, 2021

“Let’s go and play soccer!” This is a common proposal that a WeChat group of 400 villagers as members are receiving. In reply to it, they join games played on a new artificial pitch in Yangwei, a village in Liping County, Guizhou province.

This village in October completed laying the pitch. It cost 3 million yuan ($460,000). The fund was provided by the central and local governments. At the beginning of 2021, the pitch was put into use.

Now, villagers-male and female, old and young-have a bigger and dedicated place where they can play sports, sing, sunbathe and organize festivals at the same time.

“Before, people tended to fill their time by eating and drinking wine together, but now they exercise. We see lots of energetic villagers instead of tipsy ones,” said Yang Bin, a 40-year-old resident.

People from adjacent villages have benefited as well and they frequently participate in various friendly matches or join with the Dong Grand Chorus.

The art form-a traditional multi-voiced type of music created by Dong ethnic group people was included in the list of intangible cultural heritage in 2009 by UNESCO. Dong people who live in Yangwei time and again perform the songs at various local festivals.

“Hundreds or even thousands of spectators come to the pitch for the games or the festival chorus. That enhances the friendship and feeling of unity between our close neighbors and us,” Yang said.

Annually in Shanghai, Yang earns about 50,000 yuan, driving a truck for a factory. However, during the harvest season, he returns to his hometown to assist in the farm work.

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