春雨直播app

For the past two decades, China has raced ahead at breakneck speed, achieving astonishing growth. Every day, we are inundated with news and updates about China, even from afar. But have you ever stopped to wonder—what’s happening in the rural villages of China? Despite the flood of information, rural China may remain largely a mystery. Are these villages being left behind in the shadow of booming cities? Are rural migrant workers, or “nong min gong,” being exploited on the frontlines of labor? What about the “left-behind children”—are they languishing in difficult conditions? Could discontent be simmering under the surface, pushing villages to the brink of collapse?
 
If you’ve ever pondered any of these issues, you’re not alone. This book aims to answer them honestly and comprehensively. That is the mission I’ve set for myself here.
 
Only 40 years ago, China was still a largely agrarian society, with 80% of its population living in rural areas—an undeniable “developing country.” While China’s urbanization rate now exceeds 60%, over a billion people still maintain connections to the countryside, often returning to their rural roots for holidays like the Lunar New Year. Understanding rural China is essential to fully grasping the country’s rapid transformation, its global role, and even its future political and economic trajectory.
 
In this book, I delve into five key questions:
 
(1) Who are China’s peasants, and how have their historical experiences shaped their worldview? In a country often labeled as one of extreme inequality, how do those at the bottom of this disparity perceive it themselves?
(2) What is life like in rural China today? Are people still struggling in poverty? Who resolves the everyday challenges that arise in village life? For instance, does the government provide adequate services in rural areas?
(3) How does the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) view rural China within the broader political landscape? Given China’s “authoritarian” system, what role does rural society play in maintaining political stability? And why is it that competitive elections are only held at the village level?
(4) Why do foreign researchers so often struggle in their fieldwork to understand Chinese villages? How do the CCP and local officials perceive foreign involvement or interest in their governance?
(5) What does China’s push toward “new urbanization” mean for the future of its rural areas? Will villages eventually vanish as the population continues to gravitate toward major cities?
 
By the end of this book, you’ll feel as though you’ve visited the homes of Chinese peasant families over and over again. And in doing so, you’ll find that the answers to these five pressing questions emerge naturally along the way.
 

(Written by TAHARA Fumiki, Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences / 2024)