Siheyuan: Silly Pillar is Kind

In the countryside, far away from the hustle and bustle, Xu Damao found a peaceful place of his own. He decided to deeply experience farming life, get in close contact with nature, and feel the rhythm of the land and the miracle of crop growth.

In the morning, when the first ray of sunlight shines through the curtains, Xu Damao gets up, puts on simple farm clothes, and prepares to start a day of farm work. He walks out of the house, takes a deep breath of fresh air, and feels the unique tranquility and harmony of the countryside.

In the field, Xu Damao met the village agronomist Lao Li, an experienced farmer who was about to start a day's work. Lao Li saw Xu Damao and enthusiastically invited him to join him.

"Mr. Xu, you've come at the right time. Today we are going to sow seeds. Let's experience real farming life together." Old Li said with a smile.

Xu Damao nodded excitedly, took the seeds from Lao Li, and followed him into the green fields. Under Lao Li's guidance, Xu Damao began to learn how to turn the soil, sow seeds, apply fertilizers and irrigate.

"The depth of sowing should be moderate so that the seeds can better absorb water and nutrients." Old Li explained patiently while demonstrating.

Xu Damao followed Lao Li's movements and gradually mastered the skills. Beads of sweat gradually appeared on his forehead, but his face was full of satisfaction and happiness.

In the afternoon, Xu Damao and Lao Li sat under a tree beside the field to rest. Lao Li took out the watermelon he grew, cut it and shared it with Xu Damao.

"Try it, it's irrigated with the well water in our village and it's especially sweet," said Lao Li proudly.

Xu Damao took a bite, and the sweet juice immediately filled his mouth. He couldn't help but exclaimed: "It's so delicious. The watermelons here are much sweeter than those bought in the city."

At sunset, Xu Damao stood on the ridge of the field, looking at the fruits of his day's labor, and felt a sense of accomplishment. He began to understand the hardships and beauty of farming life, and felt the deep affection for the land.

"Lao Li, thank you for everything you taught me today. I learned a lot." Xu Damao said sincerely.

Old Li patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Mr. Xu, although farming life is hard, as long as you feel it with your heart, you will find its fun and value."

As night fell, Xu Damao returned home exhausted and satisfied. He sat in the yard, looking up at the stars, thinking about the meaning of farming life, his heart filled with awe of nature and love for life.

Although the work became more difficult, Xu Damao did not back down. Instead, he cherished this unique life experience even more.

One morning, Xu Damao and Lao Li went to the rice fields together to weed and irrigate. Lao Li looked at the lush rice fields and said to Xu Damao: "Today's task is not easy, but it is the key to ensure the healthy growth of rice."

Xu Damao nodded, took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, and prepared to work for the day. He followed Lao Li and learned how to identify weeds and how to use farm tools to effectively weed.

"These weeds will steal nutrients from rice, so they must be removed in time." Old Li explained while demonstrating.

Xu Damao listened carefully, his hands were gradually covered with mud, but he didn't care. Instead, he felt that this was a way to have close contact with the land.

In the afternoon, the two of them rested under the shade of a tree. Lao Li took out a water bottle and handed it to Xu Damao: "Drink some water and replenish your energy."

Xu Damao took the kettle and drank from it in big gulps. The cool well water made him feel refreshed. "Old Li, although this kind of life is hard, it is really fulfilling."

Old Li smiled and said, "Yes, dealing with the land is physically tiring, but it makes me feel at ease."

After resting, they continued to work until the sun set, and the sunset glowed on the sparkling paddy fields. Xu Damao stood on the ridge of the field, looking at the results of his day's work, feeling extremely proud.

"Old Li, look at these rice fields. Thanks to our efforts, they are growing so well." Xu Damao said with emotion.

Old Li nodded in agreement: "Yes, every grain of rice embodies our hard work, and in autumn, they will reward us with a rich harvest."

At night, Xu Damao returned home and sat in the yard, recalling his work during the day, his heart was filled with emotion. He picked up a pen and began to record his farming diary, hoping to share this experience and feelings with more people.

"Today, I have a deeper understanding of the difficulty and beauty of farming life," he wrote. "On this land, I have learned to respect nature, cherish food, and feel the joy of labor."

The next day, Xu Damao decided to hold a small sharing session and invited the children in the village to listen to his stories about farming. He hoped that the children could understand the farming culture and pass on the wisdom of the village.

At the sharing session, Xu Damao took out the rice he planted and showed it to the children: "These rice are the fruits of our hard work, and every grain is hard-earned."

The children gathered around curiously, and one of the little boys asked, "Uncle Xu, is it difficult to grow rice?"

Xu Damao smiled and replied: "Growing rice requires patience and hard work, but when you see them grow vigorously, all the hard work will become worth it."

Through such sharing, Xu Damao not only passed on farming knowledge, but also stimulated children's interest and respect for rural life.

One day, the village primary school invited Xu Damao to tell students stories and knowledge about farming. He walked into the classroom with the rice he planted and some farm tools.

"Children, do you know where the rice we eat every day comes from?" Xu Damao stood on the podium with a bunch of rice in his hand.

The children looked at him curiously, and a little girl raised her hand and answered: "It was grown by the farmer."

Xu Damao smiled and nodded: "Yes, it is grown by the hard work of farmers. Today, I want to tell you about the growth process of rice."

He introduced to the children in detail every step from rice sowing to harvesting. The children listened with great interest and asked questions from time to time.

"Uncle Xu, is it tiring to plant rice?" asked a little boy.

Xu Damao answered seriously: "Of course it is a bit tiring, but when you see the rice growing day by day, the sense of accomplishment and happiness cannot be expressed in words."

After class, Xu Damao took the children to his fields to let them experience the joy of farming. The children observed from the side of the fields, and some even tried to water the rice.

"Uncle Xu, can I help you water the plants?" a little girl asked expectantly.

"Of course, you try it." Xu Damao handed her a small scoop.

The little girl carefully watered the rice with a satisfied smile on her face: "So this is how farming works. I feel like I really helped them grow."

As the seasons change, Xu Damao's fields usher in the harvest season. The golden rice sways in the wind, a scene of a good harvest. Villagers come to help with the harvest, and everyone is busy in the fields with happy smiles on their faces.

"Da Mao, the rice you planted this year is growing really well. It will definitely be a good harvest." Old Li praised while harvesting.

Xu Damao wiped the sweat from his forehead and said with a smile: "It is because of everyone's hard work that this land has given us the best reward."

After the harvest, Xu Damao decided to hold a dinner to celebrate the harvest and invited the whole village to attend. At the dinner, he gave a speech: "Today, we are not only celebrating the rice harvest, but also celebrating the unity and mutual assistance of our community."

The villagers toasted to celebrate and shared the hard-earned results. Children walked among the crowd, their faces filled with happiness and satisfaction.

At a community gathering, Xu Damao stood in front of the villagers and proposed his new idea: "We already have a good rice harvest. Why not hold a rice festival to let more people know about our farming culture and bring our products to a wider market?"

Lao Li was the first to respond: "Da Mao, this is a great idea! We can showcase our rice and even hold some rice-themed cooking competitions."

Aunt Zhao also made a suggestion: "We can also invite farmers from surrounding villages to participate, exchange planting experiences, and improve together."

Xiao Li, a young man in the village, was excited about Xu Damao's proposal: "I can help design promotional materials and use social media to promote our rice festival."

Ms. Zhou, an enthusiastic villager, also put forward her own ideas: "We can also organize some cultural activities, such as singing and dancing performances, to make the festival more colorful."

With the joint efforts of everyone, the preparations for the Rice Festival are in full swing. Xu Damao and Lao Li planned the cooking competition and invited chefs and cooking enthusiasts in the village to participate.

"Old Li, what method do you think we should use to select the best rice products?" Xu Damao asked.

“We can invite villagers to taste the food and decide by everyone’s vote,” Lao Li replied with a smile.

Aunt Zhao was busy contacting farmers from surrounding villages and inviting them to exchange planting experiences. She said to each invited farmer: "This is our common festival. I hope everyone can share their experiences and stories."

Xiao Li was busy in front of the computer, designing eye-catching promotional posters: "Look, this is our Rice Festival poster. I believe it will attract many people to participate."

Ms. Zhou organized a performance team composed of villagers to present wonderful singing and dancing performances on the day of the festival. She encouraged the team members: "We should not only show our rice, but also our culture and enthusiasm."

Finally, the day of the Rice Festival arrived. The Siheyuan community turned into a sea of ​​joy, with villagers wearing festive costumes and smiling with joy on their faces. The cooking competition attracted many villagers and tourists, who tasted various delicacies made with rice as the raw material and praised them highly.

"This rice cake is so delicious, soft and fragrant!" a tourist said to Xu Damao.

Xu Damao responded with a smile: "This is all the rice we grew ourselves. I feel very proud to be recognized by everyone."

Lao Li and other farmers shared their planting experiences in the exchange area, and their conversation attracted many villagers who were interested in farming.

"Old Li, how did you grow the rice this year? It grows so well." asked a young farmer.

"The key is to choose good seeds, pay attention to field management, and..." Lao Li explained patiently.

Xiao Li's publicity work was a huge success, and many foreign tourists came to participate in this unique festival.

"This festival is so interesting. I learned a lot about rice," said a tourist from other places.

Ms. Zhou and her performance team sang and danced on the stage, winning rounds of applause from the audience. Children laughed in the crowd, the elderly chatted on the benches, and the whole community was immersed in a joyful and harmonious atmosphere.

As winter approaches, the community cultural development group gathers again to discuss how to make use of the leisure time in winter to continue to enrich the spiritual and cultural life of the villagers.

At a preparatory meeting, Xu Damao put forward his idea: "Although winter is cold, it is also a time for families to reunite and enjoy life. Can we hold a 'Winter Family Festival' to encourage villagers to participate in various activities with their families?"

Old Li touched his chin, thought for a moment and said, "This is a good idea. We can organize some fun family sports events, such as tug-of-war and relay races, to enhance the relationship between family members."

Aunt Zhao added: "We can also hold a family talent show to give every family a chance to show off their specialties and talents."

Xiao Li is concerned about the promotion of the event: "I will be responsible for designing the promotional posters and event procedures to ensure the smooth progress of the event."

Ms. Zhou made her own suggestion: "I think we can also set up a 'family story sharing session' to allow villagers to share their family's heartwarming stories and traditional customs."

After the preparatory meeting, everyone went their separate ways and began to actively prepare for the various activities of the "Winter Family Festival". A few weeks later, the event was held as scheduled, and the Siheyuan community became a place full of warmth and laughter.

At the Family Fun Games, family members worked together to participate in various competitions, with the laughter of children and the cheers of adults echoing one after another.

"Come on, Dad! We can definitely win!" A little boy cheered for his father who was participating in a tug-of-war competition.

"Don't worry, son, we will do our best!" The child's father replied with a smile, exerting even more force with his hands.

In the family talent show, each family showed off their unique skills, some sang, some danced, and some performed sketches, winning applause from the audience.

"Xu Damao, the skit your family performed was so interesting!" a villager said to Xu Damao who had just finished the performance.

Xu Damao responded with a smile: "We just share the interesting things in life, and hope everyone likes it."

At the family story sharing session, villagers sat together, listening to other people's family stories and feeling the warmth and wisdom of different families.

“When I was a child, every winter my grandmother would tell us stories about her youth. Those are my best memories,” shared a middle-aged woman.

As the event came to a successful conclusion, the villagers returned home with a full harvest and a happy mood. Xu Damao stood with several organizers, looking at the villagers' satisfied smiles, feeling extremely gratified.

Xu Damao said with emotion: "Seeing everyone so happy, I feel that all our efforts are worth it. Our community is truly a big family full of love and warmth."

Old Li also smiled and said: "Yes, such activities not only enrich our lives, but also make our community more united."

Xiao Li recorded the wonderful moments of the event and prepared to share it on the community's social media: "I want more people to see our event and feel the warmth of our community."

Ms. Zhou is already looking forward to the next event: "This event was so successful. I believe our community will get better and better."