During a recent visit to Feixing Village in Baisha Town, Jishui County, Jiangxi Province, I had the opportunity to sit down with a lively group of villagers engaged in a discussion about their traditions surrounding weddings and funerals. At the heart of this dynamic conversation was Guo Zhongteng, the president of the village’s Red and White Affairs Council. He was graciously fielding questions and guiding the community in line with the council’s established guidelines.

Reflecting on the past, Guo shared, “Organizing weddings and funerals used to be a competition in our village, where everyone felt pressured to outdo each other. This often left people burdened and financially strained,” he said, a wry smile crossing his face as he recalled those challenging times.

The establishment of the Red and White Affairs Council marked a turning point for the village. Under Guo’s leadership, the council introduced a comprehensive set of bylaws aimed at simplifying the process of organizing these important events. “In just two years, we’ve seen the number of events decline from fifty or sixty annually to just over ten,” Guo proudly reported. “This change has saved each household more than 10,000 yuan in social costs.”

In recent years, Jishui County has made impressive advances in regulating local Red and White Affairs Councils, moral review committees, and funeral industry associations. The county is actively promoting a more civilized approach to community behavior through moral review sessions, sharing positive narratives, and overseeing funeral industry practices and personnel. This multifaceted approach lays a strong foundation for updating customs that have become outdated.

Various county departments have collaborated on detailed research into wedding customs. They’re not only gathering insights on wedding preferences and pre-marital counseling needs at marriage registration offices but also using engaging short videos like “Chengtou” and “Awakening” to influence public attitudes and promote reform in a relatable way.

Wang Wei and his partner were thrilled to learn about the initiative for collective wedding registration in Jishui County, and they eagerly enrolled. On their special day, they celebrated with numerous other couples, experiencing the joy of shared love. “This wedding is both simple and meaningful; we truly enjoy it,” Wang beamed.

Jishui County is bravely tackling the challenge of transforming outdated customs while fostering a civilized rural atmosphere. They regard these efforts as essential to advancing rural revitalization. Key to their reform strategy is a work mechanism dubbed “three meetings, three evaluations, and three visits,” aimed at creating a warm and vibrant promotion of new civilized practices.