Chongqing - The annual Village Gala in Xiazhuang, a once-remote mountain village in Chongqing’s Wushan County, brought residents together on January 6 for a day of singing, dancing, and celebration. Amid the festivities, a special initiative called Happiness in Focus was on site, taking family portraits and documenting everyday life. Launched by the Chongqing Luhai International Communication Foundation, the project aims to preserve the warm moments and smiling faces that reflect the story of rural revitalization.

A portrait of Mao Xianglin, Party secretary of Xiazhuang Village. (Photo/Chongqing Luhai International Communication Foundation)

During the event, Mao Xianglin visited the photography booth. As the village Party secretary and a nationally recognized figure in China’s poverty alleviation efforts, Mao has witnessed Xiazhuang’s dramatic transformation firsthand. Viewing portraits filled with hope, he described the project as deeply meaningful. “It allows villagers not only to appreciate their present happiness, but also to look ahead to a better future, leaving a vivid record for the next generation,” he said.

Xiazhuang’s transformation was forged through perseverance. Nearly three decades ago, after Mao took office, the village set out to break its isolation. Using only basic tools, villagers carved a road into sheer cliffs—a seven-year effort that culminated in 2004 with the completion of an eight-kilometer “Sky Road.” The route opened Xiazhuang to the outside world and laid the foundation for its subsequent economic growth.

Over the past two decades, Xiazhuang has transformed from a remote, impoverished mountain village into a thriving rural community. Average annual incomes have risen significantly, lifting residents well above the poverty line, while living conditions have steadily improved. “The road is built, transport is convenient, and the environment is better—life is far better than it was 20 years ago,” said Peng Zhimin, an octogenarian villager.

The Happiness in Focus initiative grew out of the belief that such hard-earned progress deserves to be documented. Public-interest photographer Feng Shuang, together with social workers from Wushan County, traveled to Xiazhuang to capture candid smiles and teach villagers basic photography and storytelling skills, enabling them to create and preserve their own visual records of everyday happiness.

A scene from Xiazhuang Village's annual Village Gala. (Photo/Chongqing Luhai International Communication Foundation)

A scene from Xiazhuang Village's annual Village Gala. (Photo/Chongqing Luhai International Communication Foundation)

Launched in 2021, the project aims to capture the stories behind each smile through images, Feng said. “Today, villagers live in sturdy new homes and enjoy rising incomes. The joy seen at the Village Gala—people singing freely and celebrating with full hearts—is the most vivid expression of happiness.”

While the gatherings may come to an end, the project’s mission continues. Looking ahead, Happiness in Focus plans to encourage more villagers to document their own lives—from curling cooking smoke in the morning and branches heavy with harvest, to family reunions beneath warm lights—together creating a living, heartfelt “village happiness diary” that records change over time and shares the warmth and vitality of rural China with a wider audience.