From Old Man to Child

Due to a complex interplay of historical problems and current realities, Lengpo Yao Village still retains memories of slash-and-burn agriculture, maintaining a relatively traditional way of life and a generally low level of education. Even though Pan Xiaogui, an elderly man with mental instability, is deeply ingrained in his traditional way of life, the influence of modernity on the village is also evident in his mind during his travels: multi-story buildings replacing thatched houses, new tools replacing old ones, cement roads replacing dirt roads… This juxtaposition of old and new is presented to Pan Xiaogui from his first-person perspective. While others are busy, he is busy too; others laugh at his perceived foolishness, but he smiles.

How can rural revitalization balance modernity and tradition? How can we achieve convenience through tools without severing the shared memories of the community? How can border villages maintain a psychological bridge between the elderly and children after young people have left? What may seem like the absurdity of Pan Xiaogui’s personal experiences raises questions worth considering: how can today’s young people and tomorrow’s children properly step into modernization?

The wheels of time drag people of every age forward: young people, old people, children… Hometown, home and memories, sorrow and joy, all intertwine to form a concerto of village evolution, but composed by a mad old man.