Qionglai and Jiuzhaigou Join Hands, Building Dreams for Rural Revitalization

Tourism Project in Xiewujia Village, Baihe Township, Jiuzhaigou County.

"Jiuzhai Yunshang" Boutique Homestay.

Amidst towering mountains, the moon seems near; across distant lands, bonds grow strong. From the "Hometown of Zhuo Wenjun" to the "Fairy Tale World," Qionglai City and Jiuzhaigou County in Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province—two places separated by thousands of miles—have become closely connected through a special collaboration. In May 2021, the sixth batch of the Paired Assistance Cadre and Talent Team from Qionglai City (hereinafter referred to as the "Team") took up the baton of paired assistance and embarked on a journey to Jiuzhaigou County in Aba Prefecture, far beyond their hometown, to embark on a new chapter of rural revitalization. Guided by the principles of "scientific, targeted, and wholehearted assistance," they have united and worked diligently with local cadres and residents in Jiuzhaigou County, writing a new story of joint progress and shared development in rural revitalization.

Over the past two years, Qionglai City has invested more than 20 million yuan in assistance funds, driving the completion and effectiveness of 23 aid projects. This has helped Jiuzhaigou County consolidate and expand its achievements in poverty alleviation and laid a solid foundation for rural revitalization. In 2022, Jiuzhaigou County was honored as the "Outstanding County for Key Rural Revitalization Assistance in Sichuan Province."

By deepening industrial "empowerment," a robust foundation for development has been established.

In early May this year, the "Jiuzhai Yunshang" boutique homestay project in Shangsi Village, Jiuzhaigou County, officially opened for business. Here, wood and stone, mountains and water, tradition and modernity blend and coexist, radiating vitality and charm. These premium Tibetan-style homestays represent the "debut" project of experienced cultural tourism enterprises from Qionglai City, introduced by the work team in alignment with the development of Zhangzha Town as an international eco-tourism destination. The project has been honored with the 2022 American MUSE Design Gold Award and the 2021–2022 China Tourism and Hospitality Industry Golden Light Award.

Through housing leasing, land transfer, local employment, and skill training for local farmers, the project has established a cooperative development model of "company + village collective + farmers." This approach promotes the transformation of rural tourism formats and the upgrading of services, providing a reference and demonstration for local residents in developing homestays. Residents involved in the operation of this project can achieve an annual income increase of 50,000 to 100,000 yuan.

Building a Solid Foundation for Long-Term Benefits. Since 2021, the work team has aligned with Jiuzhaigou County’s overarching strategy of "holistic development and green growth." By leveraging local resources and addressing development challenges, they have tackled rural revitalization starting with industrial development.

The Jiuzhaigou County Pepper Modern Agricultural Park is located in Xinhua Village, Yonghe Township. The pepper industry serves as the dominant and distinctive pillar of the local economy, yet the park’s infrastructure urgently required improvement. To further boost the growth of the local pepper industry, Qionglai City allocated assistance funds to install guardrails and protective walls along the park’s roads and construct new irrigation facilities. These measures not only effectively ensured the safety of farmers during work and travel but also completely resolved the issue of irrigation for the pepper trees.

"With the continuous improvement of infrastructure, the development of our township’s pepper industry has shifted into high gear. In 2022, pepper-growing households saw an average annual income increase of around 3,600 yuan," explained Yuan Yuhuan, Deputy Party Secretary and Mayor of Yonghe Township.

In Sheng’nan New Village of Wujiao Town, rows of newly built greenhouses stand in neat order. What was once barren wasteland has now transformed into a "treasure bowl" for the village. This blueberry base, supported by Qionglai City as part of its assistance efforts, covers approximately 15 acres. As a key component of the Ma Family Blueberry Modern Agricultural Park, it has further strengthened the village’s collective economy, contributing over 1 million yuan in additional annual income for the collective.

Projects such as rural tourism in Xiewujia Village of Baihe Township, the eco-agritourism farm in Baohua Township, and supporting facilities for the pig breeding base in Guo Yuan Township have been successively implemented. These initiatives have effectively driven industrial efficiency, enhanced ecological value, and increased farmers' incomes, continuously empowering rural revitalization in Jiuzhaigou County.

Additionally, Qionglai City has made every effort to advance brand-strengthening initiatives for agriculture in Jiuzhaigou County by implementing the "Jiuzhaigou +" brand cultivation plan. The largest, most comprehensive, and most diverse agricultural specialty products exhibition and sales center in Jiuzhaigou County to date has been established. The national geographical indication certification trademarks for "Jiuzhaigou Plum" and "Jiuzhaigou Ginseng" have been successfully registered. Furthermore, organic certifications have been obtained for seven agricultural specialty products, including Black River apples and Dalu yaks, along with the registration of 18 trademarks such as "Jiu Mao Tang Ke." Efforts in product packaging design, promotion, and publicity have also been carried out, continuously driving the high-quality and efficient development of local agricultural and livestock industries.

Consolidating the Foundation and Enhancing Quality to Strengthen Educational Groundwork.

"The renovated hall is fully equipped and serves as a key venue for our school to hold educational meetings and showcase academic achievements. It plays a positive role in further optimizing the allocation of educational resources, improving the educational structure and system, and accelerating the overall process of educational innovation," said Tong Guiping, principal of Jiuzhaigou Experimental Primary School. In recent years, with the strong support of Qionglai City, the school's infrastructure has been further enhanced and refined, giving Principal Tong greater confidence in the school's future development.

Education is the cornerstone of long-term development. Since the launch of the new round of paired assistance efforts, Qionglai City has consistently adhered to the principle of prioritizing education. It has continued to increase support, broaden assistance channels, and expand the scope of aid, focusing on advancing improvements in teaching infrastructure and informatization, as well as strengthening the teaching faculty in Jiuzhaigou County. These efforts are aimed at supporting educational revitalization and promoting the high-quality development of education in Jiuzhaigou County.

Over the past two years, focusing on the practical teaching needs of primary and secondary schools in Jiuzhaigou County, Qionglai City has provided 110 computers, installed outdoor LED screens, renovated multifunctional lecture halls, and improved campus cultural development for these schools. These efforts have consistently optimized teaching and office equipment, enhanced campus infrastructure, enriched digital educational resources, further increased school operational efficiency, and strengthened the educational substance and moral atmosphere, laying a solid foundation for the long-term development of the schools.

To address the accommodation issues for primary school teachers in Jiuzhaigou County, Qionglai City has also allocated assistance funds to renovate and upgrade over 30 sets of teacher turnover housing. This has significantly enhanced teachers' sense of fulfillment and belonging, further strengthening their confidence and determination to dedicate themselves to the educational cause in Jiuzhaigou County.

In addition to improvements in hardware, Qionglai City has also actively promoted the enhancement of educational soft power in Jiuzhaigou County. In 2022, with the strong support of the work team, Jiuzhaigou County established its first six "Master Teacher Studios." These studios have served as models to elevate the classroom teaching capabilities of local teachers across various subjects. Under the guidance of the "Master Teacher Studios," educators have collectively received over 150 awards at the provincial, prefectural, and county levels.

Led by the Qionglai Education Bureau, more than 200 education experts and members of "Master Teacher Studios" from Qionglai City have traveled to Jiuzhaigou County to conduct training sessions, teaching activities, and educational seminars. These exchanges have fostered mutual inspiration and dialogue between educators from both regions in areas such as educational philosophy, school management, and teaching methodologies, ultimately contributing to the refinement of teaching approaches and the improvement of educational quality.

In addition to hardware improvements, Qionglai City has also actively worked to enhance the educational soft power of Jiuzhaigou County.

Pooling Strength Through Collaborative Exchanges to Enhance Internal Momentum

For Xiahuanhe Village in Anle Township, Jiuzhaigou County, where rural tourism is still in its early stages, knowledge and skills training has been like "timely rain." "The training was highly targeted. It broadened the villagers' perspectives, increased their knowledge, transformed their mindsets, and yielded substantial benefits," said Xu Zhongping, the village party secretary. After participating in the training, he felt more confident in developing rural tourism and driving income growth for the villagers.

Rural revitalization hinges on talent! Since 2021, focusing on talent development in Jiuzhaigou County, Qionglai City has leveraged its strengths in human resources, emphasizing both "blood transfusion" (external support) and "blood making" (internal capacity building). By taking proactive steps in cultivating and strengthening talent, the city has continuously reinforced the team of professionals driving rural revitalization.

Qionglai City has selected 100 Party and government officials, along with key medical and educational professionals, to take up temporary assignments in Jiuzhaigou County, providing assistance and conducting regular "1+N" mentorship programs. Additionally, over 100 cadres, medical personnel, and educators from Jiuzhaigou County have been dispatched to Qionglai for temporary assignments and on-the-job training. In line with rural revitalization efforts, 28 regular knowledge and skills training sessions have been conducted, benefiting more than 1,600 individuals. These initiatives have helped cultivate a high-quality, professional talent pool in Jiuzhaigou County—one that is committed, capable, and sustainable.

Promoting in-depth exchanges between Qionglai and Jiuzhaigou and fostering ethnic unity and progress are essential components of the paired assistance efforts. Senior Party and government leaders from both regions have conducted multiple mutual visits and exchanges, driving cooperation toward more targeted, extensive, and practical outcomes. A total of 64 pairs have been formed across departments, townships, villages (communities), schools, hospitals, enterprises, and social organizations, creating a comprehensive and precise pairing framework characterized by "one-to-one," "many-to-one," and "one-to-many" collaborations. This has deepened exchanges and integration between the two regions, jointly painting a "circle of shared commitment" to ethnic unity and progress. The two sides have conducted over 600 thematic exchanges and interactions in areas such as grassroots governance, industrial development, education, and healthcare. Additionally, they have allocated more than 1.7 million yuan for paired assistance and consumption-driven support, organized 14 employment recruitment events, and facilitated labor transfer and employment for over 350 individuals.

During the paired assistance efforts, the People's Armed Forces Department of Qionglai City invested funds to renovate the elderly activity center in Dalu Township, Jiuzhaigou County, creating a new platform for local learning, training, and leisure activities. The work team also actively connected various resources to help sell over 160,000 jin of agricultural and sideline products from Jiuzhaigou County. They secured strong support from caring enterprises and individuals for five disadvantaged students and successfully facilitated the implementation of Meituan’s "Shared Bikes into Basketball Courts" project in Jiuzhaigou County…

Through comprehensive paired collaborations, the complementary strengths and resource sharing between Qionglai and Jiuzhaigou have been promoted, building a bridge of solidarity and shared commitment between the two regions. As a result, the hearts of the people in Qionglai and Jiuzhaigou have grown closer, and their bonds have deepened. (Photos provided by the sixth batch of paired assistance cadres and talent team from Qionglai City)