Summer reading activities are bringing villagers together in Baotai town, Pingyi county, Linyi, Shandong province, where local history, Red culture and community discussions are strengthening cultural confidence and rural cohesion.
Across the town, village reading rooms, Party activity centers and public corridors have become summer reading spaces. Collections include local chronicles, folk customs, revolutionary stories and books on intangible cultural heritage, meeting the interests of different age groups.
At Heping village, Party secretary Ren Xu opened a June 12 session by reading from a local history book. "The Yimeng spirit is not simply words on a page. It was created through the hard work of earlier generations and should guide our approach to rural development," he said.
A 71-year-old Party member then recalled stories heard in childhood about villagers making pancakes and sewing cloth shoes for frontline troops.
Village committee member Li Defen said the exchange showed that local history and folk traditions can provide lasting strength for community development.
Four kilometers away in Huajia village, volunteer Hua Hui discussed provincial regulations on preserving and promoting the Yimeng spirit in the local dialect. She linked the ideas to the village's flower-growing industry, which has raised incomes and improved living standards.
Baotai town continues to use village reading rooms and community practice centers for regular reading sessions and storytelling activities, encouraging residents to preserve their heritage and build a stronger sense of belonging.
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