YuXian County, Hebei Province: Public Welfare and Cultural Heritage Promotion
On June 11, 2020, the Public Welfare Agricultural Assistance and Media Action event, jointly organized by the People’s Government of YuXian County and People’s Daily Online, was held in YuXian County, ZhangJiaKou.
As the Poverty Alleviation Product Experience Ambassador, Xiao Zhan participated in field visits throughout YuXian County, gaining firsthand insight into local poverty alleviation initiatives, agricultural industries, specialty products, and cultural traditions. He helped promote YuXian millet and the county’s traditional paper-cutting art, bringing greater public attention to the region’s agricultural and cultural heritage.
His participation significantly increased awareness of YuXian millet, with sales reportedly growing nearly one hundredfold compared to previous levels. During a discussion forum, Xiao Zhan shared:
“As a young actor, I have the responsibility and obligation to actively participate in poverty alleviation efforts.”
Through this initiative, Xiao Zhan used his public influence to support rural development and highlight the value of local industries. His involvement also encouraged many fans to learn more about YuXian County and support its agricultural products, with some incorporating YuXian millet into their daily lives.
The event was covered by dozens of mainstream media outlets, including People’s Daily Online and Huanqiu.com. The official YuXian County social media account later published a letter of appreciation acknowledging the positive impact of his participation.
Xiao Zhan’s involvement demonstrated how public figures can help amplify public welfare initiatives by connecting local communities with broader audiences and creating lasting awareness of regional development efforts.
I. Key Facts of the Event
1. Event Organizer and Role
- The event was jointly organized by the Yu County People’s Government and People Online, and was part of the “Public Welfare Agricultural Assistance Media Tour” series.
- Xiao Zhan was invited to serve as the “Poverty Alleviation Product Experience Ambassador” and participated as a special guest invited by the organizers.
2. Specific Itinerary
During the visit, Xiao Zhan:
- Visited the production bases for Yuzhou Tribute Rice (蔚州贡米) and flaxseed oil (亚麻籽油).
- Visited the Yu County Paper-Cutting Museum and experienced traditional Chinese paper-cutting art.
- Visited local poverty alleviation industries and participated in a poverty alleviation discussion forum.
- During an interview, he said that if fans wanted to see what he was like while working, he would film a documentary to show them. (This promise was later fulfilled in 2025 with the release of a documentary work.)
3. Media Coverage and Publicity
- People’s Daily Online, Huanqiu.com, and other mainstream media outlets reported on the event on the same day.
- Yu County Television’s June 12 news broadcast aired a full report titled “Creating a New Model for Poverty Alleviation.”
- After the complete event video was released, more than 30 official verified accounts (“Blue V” accounts) participated in widespread promotional coverage.
II. Core Reasons: Why Yu County and Xiao Zhan Were Chosen
1. Yu County’s Poverty Alleviation Needs
Yu County is a nationally recognized historical and cultural city and was previously a nationally designated impoverished county. It possesses unique local resources such as:
- Yu County millet (蔚县小米)
- Flaxseed oil (亚麻籽油)
- Traditional paper-cutting art (剪纸)
However, due to limitations in transportation and public awareness, local industries faced challenges in development and market expansion.
2. Xiao Zhan as a Promotional Platform
At the time, Xiao Zhan had significant public attention and strong fan engagement capabilities. The purpose of the event was to use his influence to introduce Yu County’s agricultural products and cultural products to a broader consumer audience, supporting the implementation of consumer-based poverty alleviation (消费扶贫).
During his visit, Xiao Zhan praised Yu County millet, saying that it had “a sweet aftertaste when eaten” and emphasized his hope that more people would remember Yu County and help promote its agricultural products.
III. Immediate Impact and Subsequent Developments
1. Short-Term Publicity Impact
- The event generated extensive discussion and behind-the-scenes footage on the same day.
- Xiao Zhan’s interview clips from Yu County were widely circulated, with fans considering them a major factor in attracting new supporters.
Fans quickly responded by:
- Adapting and performing the song “Welcome to Yu County” (《蔚县欢迎你》) to showcase local scenery and culture.
- Creating Yu County travel guides and food recommendations to attract visitors.
- Purchasing large quantities of Yu County millet to support local sales.
2. Long-Term Continuation of Public Welfare Efforts
- Yu County millet became a long-term repurchase agricultural assistance product among Xiao Zhan’s fans, and increased sales helped consolidate local poverty alleviation achievements.
- From 2024 to 2026, multiple Weibo posts continued to revisit this event, mentioning memorable phrases from Xiao Zhan’s Yu County interview, such as “Actions speak louder than words” (行胜于言).
- This demonstrated that the event created a lasting positive memory and continued public welfare influence within the fan community.
Yu County, located in Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province and formerly known as Yuzhou, is a National Historic and Cultural City of China. It has been recognized as an Advanced Cultural County of China, the Hometown of Folk Arts, the Hometown of Chinese Paper-Cutting Art, the Chinese Paper-Cutting Art Research Center, one of China’s Best Folk Culture Tourism Cities, and the Hometown of Renyong Apricots.
A local from YuXian County shows appreciation for Xiao Zhan
Here, you’ll find fragrant tribute rice, sweet-and-tart dried apricots, the beautiful Xiaowutai Mountains, the picturesque One-Line Sky scenic gorge, the magnificent Sky Grasslands, uniquely designed ancient opera stages, the intangible cultural heritage of paper-cutting art, the one-of-a-kind Da Shuhua folk performance, and even edelweiss, Austria’s national flower. Although our beloved Yuzhou is also a nationally designated poverty-stricken county, I hope you’ll come and see it for yourself—it will absolutely be worth the trip. Thank you to Xiao Zhan for helping Yu County in its fight against poverty. I hope my hometown will become more and more beautiful.
As someone from Yu County, I have to give Xiao Zhan some well-deserved praise. The Chinese character 蔚 is a heteronym with multiple pronunciations. In the name of our county, 蔚县 is officially pronounced Yù Xiàn (fourth tone). However, Xiao Zhan pronounced it as Yǔ Xiàn (third tone), which is exactly how we locals say it. It’s become an accepted local convention, so hearing him say it felt especially natural and warm, like one of our own. I suspect he must have visited Yu County more than once.
We came because of love, and we move forward because of love. Let us continue to grow alongside Xiao Zhan. Jia you, Xiao Zhan!
Peace Every Year recording
Xiao Zhan was invited by his former mentor Li YuChun to record the charity song “Peace Every Year” 《岁岁平安》and was released on February 8, 2020 during the Lantern Festival.
The song was created to convey warmth, hope, and blessings to the people of Wuhan and the rest of China during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I. Background and Theme
- A Charity Song for the Pandemic Created in the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak, the song draws on imagery closely associated with Wuhan—such as the Yellow Crane Tower, the Yangtze River, hot dry noodles, and cherry blossoms. Its lyrics, including “May our loved ones be safe, and may warm spring sunshine arrive,” captured the collective wish for peace, health, and resilience during a difficult time.
- Released on the Lantern Festival The song was released on the Lantern Festival in 2020, a traditional holiday symbolizing reunion and togetherness. Its timing reinforced the message of national solidarity and hope, echoing the spirit of “standing united to overcome the pandemic.”
II. Collaboration and Behind-the-Scenes Story
- A Mentor and Student Reunion Xiao Zhan and Li Yuchun first met through the 2015 talent competition program Burning Youth (燃烧吧少年), where Li Yuchun served as a mentor. Their collaboration on “Suì Suì Píng Ān” continued the bond formed during the show. Li Yuchun personally invited Xiao Zhan to perform the song with her, recognizing both his vocal abilities and his positive public image.
- A Meaningful Connection Xiao Zhan has previously spoken about how Li Yuchun’s words during the competition—“The storms you experience are gifts that will stay with you for a lifetime”—left a lasting impression on him. Fans often describe their relationship as a touching example of a mentor and student meeting again at the pinnacle of their respective careers.
III. Public Reception and Recognition
- An Immediate Emotional Response Upon its release, the song resonated widely with audiences across China. Many people shared it online and expressed wishes for the pandemic to end soon and for everyone to remain safe and healthy.
- Award Recognition “Suì Suì Píng Ān” was selected as one of the Top 20 Songs of the first half of 2020 by the Chinese Music Billboard Awards (流行音乐全金榜), becoming one of the representative musical works created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.