China Focus: No longer left to luck: livestreaming transforms a mountain village in SW China

　　GUIYANG, June 30 (Xinhua) -- On a sunny June morning, 59-year-old farmer Wang Luzhang sat beneath a makeshift canopy in the courtyard of the Qianjin Village committee office in Wuchuan County, Guizhou Province, southwest China. In front of him were 25 kilograms of home-milled rice and a basket of eggs.

　　Not far away, dozens of villagers stood beside their goods, which included everything from peanuts and dried chilies to jars of golden honey.

　　Yet, this was no ordinary market day. Two young hosts trained smartphone cameras on the produce, streaming the scene to shoppers on Douyin, China's version of TikTok.

　　"Before, whether I sold anything depended entirely on luck," Wang said, grinning. By 10 a.m., his eggs had sold out at 1.2 yuan (about 0.18 U.S. dollars) each -- more than the 1 yuan he struggled to get at physical markets.

　　In the two months since his village began livestreaming, Wang has earned over 1,000 yuan, more than many previous market trips combined.

　　Wang's neighbor, beekeeper Lei Guangyang, has done even better. His wild mountain honey, priced at 120 yuan per jar, used to sit unsold at physical markets -- too expensive for local buyers. Through the livestreams, he has sold 41 jars for over 4,000 yuan, far exceeding anything he managed before.

　　This is the "Village Douyin Market" -- a virtual marketplace hosted on Douyin. The initiative was launched by young government officials in this remote mountainous county.

　　As the Communist Party of China marks its 105th founding anniversary this July, the initiative reflects a new generation of Party members using digital tools to bridge the urban-rural divide.

　　The idea sprang from a frustrating reality. "Villagers would carry their goods to market and sometimes sell nothing at all," said local official Deng Yufeng. Local markets were flooded with identical products -- vegetables, eggs, preserved goods -- from neighboring farmers, with demand too thin to absorb them all.

　　In June 2025, the young officials launched their first livestream to help farmers sell their goods, which generated over 3,200 orders and over 120,000 yuan in sales in just one day. The success gave them a surge of confidence.

　　A typical livestream session requires at least six people: two hosts, a quality inspector, a backend operator managing orders and inventory, an order clerk, and packers. Qianjin Village has trained four hosts who rotate shifts.

　　"I stumbled over my words during my first livestream sales session," said 29-year-old village official Li Xue. "Helping villagers sell their goods gives me a strong sense of fulfillment."

　　Quality control remains a priority. For now, the team limits livestream products to dry goods, with township market regulators conducting preliminary checks. To lower logistics costs, the county partnered with multiple courier companies, cutting average shipping fees from 8 yuan to 3.5 yuan per parcel. This commitment to solving real problems for people carries on a proud local tradition.

　　In the 1930s, Red Army troops led by late marshal He Long passed through this county, forging deep bonds with local farmers through their discipline and respect. Wuchuan is part of Zunyi, where a pivotal Party conference in 1935 rescued the Chinese revolution from grave danger.

　　Today, the young officials honor that legacy not with slogans, but through action. They study platform algorithms and master the art of creating engaging videos.

　　By the time the livestream wrapped at 2 p.m., young officials were still busy uploading the link for a peanut promotion, while Li made a final pitch to a visitor: "Take a bottle of wild honey home. Absolutely delicious!"

　　Wang Luzhang packed up his empty egg basket and beamed at his earnings. He would be back next week -- no longer leaving his sales to luck. ■