Synopsis
"Minning Town" is a 2021 poverty-alleviation-themed drama with a 9.2 rating on Douban, directed by Kong Sheng and Sun Molong, starring Huang Xuan, Zhang Jiayi, Yan Ni, and Reyizha. It tells the true story of immigrants in Xihaigu, Ningxia, building a new home from scratch with the counterpart assistance from Fujian, making it the highest-rated domestic drama of 2021.
Overview
"Minning Town" is a 2021 poverty alleviation-themed TV series produced by Daylight Entertainment, directed by Kong Sheng and Sun Molong. Huang Xuan stars in the lead role, with special appearances by Zhang Jiayi, Yan Ni, Huang Jue, Yao Chen, Tao Hong, Wang Kai, and others. Powerful actors such as Reyizha, Huang Yao, and Bai Yufan also joined the cast. The entire series consists of 23 episodes. It premiered in January 2021 on platforms such as Zhejiang TV and Beijing TV. It holds a high Douban rating of 9.2, making it the highest-rated domestic TV series of 2021.
In the title "Minning Town," "Min" refers to the Liupan Mountains in Ningxia, "Ning" refers to the sea of Fujian, and "Town" signifies the deep affection between the two regions. The series is set against the backdrop of the relocation of immigrants from the Xihaigu region in Ningxia and the paired assistance from Fujian in the 1990s. It tells the touching story of farmers on the barren land of Ningxia building a new home from scratch with the help of Fujian. Xihaigu was once designated by the United Nations as one of the most uninhabitable areas for humans. The characters in the series change their own destinies with sweat and wisdom in such extremely harsh conditions.
Plot
In the 1990s, living conditions in the Xihaigu region of Ningxia were extremely harsh, characterized by drought, little rain, and barren land, locally known as "the most impoverished place under heaven." The state implemented a relocation policy, moving residents from Xihaigu to Yuquanying in the plains to build new homes.
Young grassroots cadre Ma Defu (played by Huang Xuan) is sent to Yongquan Village to mobilize villagers to relocate. However, the new relocation site is desolate, with sandstorms and a lack of basic living facilities, causing many villagers who moved there to return. Ma Defu goes door-to-door to persuade them, finding ways to solve basic survival issues such as electricity and irrigation water.
With the help of Fujian's paired assistance expert Ling Yinong (played by Huang Jue), the villagers begin to grow cash crops like mushrooms, gradually finding a path out of poverty. Characters such as Ma Defu's father (played by Zhang Jiayi) and County Chief Yang (played by Yan Ni) showcase the full picture of this poverty alleviation battle from different perspectives.
Li Shuihua, played by Reyizha, is one of the most moving characters in the series. She pulls her disabled husband and young daughter on a cart for seven days and nights to reach the immigrant village, carrying the hope of a family on her frail shoulders. Reyizha's portrayal of this tenacious northwestern woman is tear-jerking, making her the most standout character in the series.
Cast
| Actor | Role | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Huang Xuan | Ma Defu | Grassroots cadre promoting immigrant relocation |
| Zhang Jiayi | Ma Hanshui | Ma Defu's father, an old villager of Yongquan Village |
| Yan Ni | County Chief Yang | Grassroots female cadre |
| Reyizha | Li Shuihua | Resilient northwestern rural woman |
| Huang Jue | Ling Yinong | Agricultural expert from Fujian |
| Yao Chen | — | Special appearance |
| Wang Kai | — | Special appearance |
Cultural Impact
"Minning Town" is a masterpiece among Chinese poverty alleviation-themed TV series. It avoids empty preaching and deliberate sentimentality, instead using the most unadorned cinematography and authentic life details to showcase the resilience and hope of ordinary people in extreme hardship. The characters speak with thick northwestern dialects, their faces covered in yellow dust and wrinkles. These details allow the audience to feel the real life of northwestern rural areas.
The series sparked widespread societal attention and reflection on poverty alleviation efforts. Many viewers said they cried while watching "Minning Town," not because of tragedy but because of being moved—by the indomitable spirit of those struggling on barren land. The "mountain-sea-town" affection between Fujian and Ningxia in the series has become a classic case of east-west poverty alleviation cooperation.
Daylight Entertainment's production standards were once again validated. From the sandstorm-swept Gobi to the lights in the mushroom greenhouses, from the villagers' dilapidated adobe houses to the newly built brick-and-tile houses, every scene strives for authentic restoration. Director Kong Sheng used cinematic audiovisual language to give an epic quality to this poverty alleviation drama.
References
- Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/35033654/
- Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/山海情
- Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/山海情
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