Cadres find meaning in their work among villagers

On Monday mornings, Zhao Lingfeng embarks on a journey from his home in Chengdu, Sichuan province, boarding a high-speed train bound for Leshan, a city nearly 150 kilometers to the south, together with his colleague Hu Jianyong.

Upon arrival at the Leshan railway station, they meet their local colleague, Shui Wei. Shui drives the other two for another 90 km to Yangziyan village in Ebian Yi autonomous county, which is under the administration of Leshan.

The three stay and work in the mountain village until Fridays, when they head back home.

They are cadres sent to the remote community to support its rural vitalization effort. Shui, an official with the Leshan Intermediate People's Court, is the first Party secretary of the village and the team leader.

After working for more than one year in the village, Zhao, 50, an employee of Bank of Communications' Sichuan branch, has become familiar with his new routines and started enjoying his country life.

Zhao applied to join the bank's rural vitalization project in Ebian because he wanted to experience something different from his routine banking work.

"The work as a grassroots cadre is also challenging," he told China Daily, "but in ways that are totally different from my previous work."