Xiaohua New Countryside

　　In the springtime farmhouse courtyard, the sun shines warmly. The pomegranate trees are still quietly gathering vitality, while the peach blossoms are about to bloom, their tips glowing with barely contained crimson. Nearby, the pink-and-white apricot blossoms have already burst into delicate bloom along the branches. A gentle breeze carries faint wafts of fragrance. Greedy bees buzz from one blossom to another, while white butterflies flutter their lovely wings, dancing a joyful “springtime dance.” Taking a moment of leisure amidst a busy life to appreciate this rural scene—“wherein lies true meaning, yet words fail to capture it”—has become a popular pastime for residents of Jingjiang.

　　In recent years, thanks to new countryside development initiatives, the rural areas of Jingjiang have undergone tremendous transformation. Residents accustomed to visiting big cities and famous scenic spots are now turning their attention to the revitalized countryside during holidays. Xiaohua Village in Xinqiao Town, located on the banks of the Yangtze River and known as the wealthiest village in Jingjiang, is a shining “pearl” among new countryside projects. The centralized residential area of Xiaohua Village serves as a model project for the entire city. The residential zone comprises detached houses, townhouses, and apartment buildings, with buildings arranged in an artful layout and winding paths. Ecological agriculture is Xiaohua Village’s signature industry. The 2,000-acre agricultural ecological demonstration park, which primarily focuses on pollution-free vegetables and flower seedlings, has taken shape. A 300-acre nursery is beginning to take form, and a 300-acre tourism industry park centered around Xiaohua Central Lake and Dongping Temple features an open plaza, an agricultural culture exhibition and experience area, dining and entertainment zones, agricultural sightseeing and picking activities, and an ecological wetland conservation area—projects that have accelerated the progress of new countryside construction. Within Xiaohua Village’s high-efficiency agriculture demonstration park, a sightseeing route connecting specialized Phalaenopsis orchid cultivation, vegetable greenhouses, centralized farmer residences, and an organic rice planting base has become a model attraction showcasing both the new countryside development and urban-rural integration in Jingjiang.

　　As the poem goes: “One night of spring breeze melts the frost on plum; peach red and pear green bring full bloom so soon. Hungry sparrows chirp in noisy woods in pairs; purple swallows meet and fly o’er furrowed fields with airs. Light bikes appear, new cottages rise, rural scenes surpass those of olden days. Air fresh, hills fair, the landscape bright—here in the fields, one feels immortal quite.” The spring scenery of Xiaohua forms a modern-style painting in the southeastern corner of Jingjiang.