Rural areas are given a modern makeover

A man with a passion for preserving heritage wants to ensure villages around China stay in touch with contemporary life

An important social movement in China took place at the beginning of the 20th century when acclaimed scholar Liang Shuming called on fellow intellectuals to participate in the reform of rural areas stricken by extreme poverty after years of war.

As part of efforts to raise the quality of life in these areas, this group of scholars set up schools and came up with measures to improve agricultural farm technology. The movement continued for seven years until the War of Resistance against Japanese aggression started in 1937.