At a rural market in Juancheng county of Shandong province, the sounds of drums and gongs resounded as local villagers gathered for a cultural feast on Feb 25, enjoying mini dramas and plays.

At the event in Hanzhuang village, Yinma town, the classic play The Marriage of Young Blacky elicited laughter and applause from the audience. The actors, with their impressive acting skills, brought to life the story of Xiao Erhei and Xiao Qin, who bravely defied the feudal constraints of arranged marriages and persist in pursuing freedom through their own choices.

The story, penned by famous Chinese writer Zhao Shuli (1906—70), allowed the audience to witness the serious obstacles that feudal customs have on personal happiness and social progress.

The fast-paced drama Three Sentences and a Half on Changing Customs — closely related to real life — also enticed the audience, provoking laughter and cheers.

After watching the performance, villager Li Shaoshan was filled with emotion: "Nowadays, times are different, and we must keep up with new ideas, so that our children can freely pursue their own happiness."

With the cultural performance, the villagers and other participants can come together and conduct trade, selling their goods and services, and that's also important, he said.

Since the founding of New China in 1949, the country has called on the Chinese people to break old customs and seek a new civilized life, and in recent times, people have been urged to rally public support and pool their strength to help bolster rural vitalization.

In recent years, Yinma town has attached great importance to launching small drama performances, as a way to comprehensively promote the work of changing outdated customs and traditions among farmers from multiple perspectives.

In January, Deng Zhaopeng, magistrate of Juancheng, which administers two sub-districts and 15 towns, promised that the county would prioritize the well-being of its people, working to improve livelihoods and ensure that the benefits of development are shared fairly among all residents.

Please contact the writer at hanjingyan@chinadaily.com.cn