Current location:International Intrigue news portal > health
Making a splash: China's village basketball games go viral, benefiting local communities
International Intrigue news portal2024-05-22 02:16:04【health】3People have gathered around
Introduction* Rural basketball games held at Taipan Village, southwest China's Guizhou Province, have gone viral
* Rural basketball games held at Taipan Village, southwest China's Guizhou Province, have gone viral, attracting more than 20,000 spectators per game and over 100 million online views across all digital platforms.
* Ethnic and rural cultures that are interwoven in the competition, such as Guizhou-dialect live commentary, traditional Miao-style dances and prizes of local agricultural products, are appreciated by the audiences.
* The success of "CunBA" has not only brought fame to Taipan Village but also helped boost the development of the local economy and tourism.
by Sportswriters Cao Yibo, Ou Dongqu, Jiang Cheng and Wu Si
GUIYANG, China, March 29 (Xinhua) -- No superstars. A lack of cash prize money. Just an outdoor basketball court. So what? Nothing is going to prevent the tens of thousands of people living in southwest China's Guizhou Province from enjoying the game of basketball.
The finals of the Guizhou "Gorgeous Countryside" Basketball League, dubbed by Chinese netizens as "CunBA", with 'Cun' meaning village in Chinese, were held last weekend in Taipan Village in Taijiang County, Guizhou Province.
The annual amateur basketball event has attracted widespread attention across the nation because of its electric atmosphere that rivals the CBA, the country's top professional basketball league.
"What we see is just what basketball looked like originally. It is so pure and joyful," wrote one user on social media.
An aerial photo taken on March 26, 2023 shows players warming up for a village basketball game in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)
A RURAL BASKETBALL FEAST
Though the players are all amateur, most of them farmers, the "village BA" or "CunBA" tournament is renowned for its electric atmosphere.
Four teams contested this year's finals. The matches tipped off after sunset, but many spectators came courtside in the morning to secure seats. Those who couldn't get into the basketball court stood on benches, ladders and even nearby drainage ditches, and the roads to the court were completely jammed.
Local government statistics showed that during the three-day competition, the average number of spectators per game exceeded 20,000, and the total number exceeded 100,000.
Villagers set up ladders to watch the final match between Team Qiandongnan and Team Zunyi at the "Village BA" basketball tournament in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province on March 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Ga)
Wu Binxi and his family of four from Liping County arrived at the Taipan Village at around 10 o'clock in the morning. "Both of my children love playing basketball. We drove for three hours just to get a good spot," said Wu.
Many of the spectators seemed not to be fans of a particular team as they cheered every basket, regardless of team. Some villagers also brought iron pots and pans from their homes to strike in excitement.
Rain suddenly poured during the match on Sunday evening, but players from Tongren and Bijie remained on court and finished the game, with almost no spectators leaving and a few people holding umbrellas.
Another unique feature of the "CunBA" is that ethnic and rural cultures are interwoven in the competition. The game's live commentator switched between using Mandarin Chinese and the Guizhou dialect to call the games. During competition breaks, local art troupes performed traditional Miao-style dances, and local agricultural products such as live sturgeons, ducks and fragrant rice were given as prizes.
Artists dance prior to a basketball game between Team Tongren and Team Qiandongnan held in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province on March 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)
Recent data shows that there have been more than 5,000 village basketball matches by the end of March this year in Guizhou, with nearly 180 village teams taking part.
According to the organizers, this year's competition generated more than 100 million online views across all digital platforms. Topics such as "Guizhou hosts the "CunBA" finals, "CunBA Returns" and "CunBA Finals" trended on various social media platforms.
"The key to its popularity is that this tournament truly belongs to the local people and connects neighborhoods like no other event does," said Cen Jianglong, a Taipan villager and a co-organizer of the tournament.
An aerial photo taken on March 26, 2023 shows players warming up for a village basketball game in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)
TIME-HONORED TRADITION
The popularity of "CunBA" didn't come by chance. Basketball has a long history in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, where Taipan is located - basketball games were originally part of the celebrations of the Miao ethnic harvest festival during the sixth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, a tradition that dates back to 1936.
"The village elders told us that our village has held a basketball competition at least once a year since 1936, and there has been no interruption to this day," said Zhang Shoushuang, head of Taipan Village.
Since 2016, the local government has invested in upgrading and building new standard basketball courts to support grassroots basketball development.
In 2021, Guizhou Province launched its "Gorgeous Countryside" campaign, which promotes development in rural China via culture, tourism and sports. The village basketball tournament was included in this campaign.
Photo taken on March 27, 2023 shows an aerial view of the final match between Team Qiandongnan and Team Zunyi at "Village BA" basketball tournament in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Li Ga)
"Basketball embodies the spirit of unity and has a strong cultural symbolic significance. It reflects the strong demand for sports and cultural life in rural areas and resonates with the people's desire for a better life," said Yang Dezhao, head of the Taijiang County government.
ECONOMY BOOSTER
The success of "CunBA" has not only brought fame to Taipan Village but also helped boost the development of the local economy and tourism.
Liu Xiaolan, 30, a mother of three, runs a Miao jewelry store in Taipan. During the competition, she sold local food at a booth next to the court.
"During the tournament, some vendors can earn 10,000 to 20,000 yuan a day," said Zhang De, a Taipan Village official.
Villagers prepare to sell local products prior to a basketball game in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province on March 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Ga)
Over the weekend, the search volume for tourism in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture increased by 276 percent compared to the previous weekend. Guangzhou, Changsha, Chongqing and Hangzhou were the main sources of tourists from outside the province.
It is estimated that Taipan Village attracted around 500,000 visitors during last summer's preliminary rounds of the "CunBA" tournament, which generated tourism revenue of more than 40 million yuan (5.8 million US dollars).
Riding the wave of "CunBA", many local youngsters who used to work in big cities have returned to their hometown to seek better opportunities.
Cen Jianglong, 38, moved back home last year. He and his wife now run a restaurant near the court, while many others choose to run homestays and live-stream agricultural products.
Among those who livestream "CunBA" games, 27-year-old Wang Zaigui is very popular. He has another role, as emcee. After two full days of hyping up the atmosphere, Wang's voice turned hoarse.
"I am very happy and proud to see the audience enjoy the game and laugh heartily in my hometown," said Wang.
Children visit a village basketball official offline experience store in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province on March 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Ga)
Insiders say that Taipan has become a model place of rural rejuvenation driven by sports industry and in the future, the "CunBA" has the potential to grow into a nationwide competition, boosting the awareness and prospects of smaller towns and cities.
"Everything is on the up here. The event is helping the development of the village and it motivates more people to embrace sports," said Cen. ■
Address of this article:http://philippines.3elevenboutique.com/article-78c599868.html
Very good!(19)
Related articles
- Bichette has 4 hits, Berríos snaps 4
- Review planned for vaccine payouts as claims soar following the pandemic
- What to stream: 'Iron Claw,' 'Pretty Little Liars,' Ryan Castro
- Javier Assad pitches 6 innings as Cubs blank Brewers 5
- Pope trip to Luxembourg, Belgium confirmed for September, 2 weeks after challenging Asia visit
- Meghan who? The 'dear friends' of the Duchess who claim they 'don't really know' her
- Teenager killed, 5 others injured in shooting in Buffalo
- Kremer pitches 6 shutout innings and Santander hits a grand slam to help Orioles sweep Reds
- Kristin Cavallari, 37, ignores critics of her age
- Padres place Musgrove on injured list with elbow inflammation
Popular articles
Recommended
Elon Musk gets approval from FDA to implant his Neuralink brain chip into a second patient
Raleigh's 9th inning homer gives Mariners 5
Panthers, Bruins set to meet again in playoff rematch, this time in Round 2
Tragedy as girl, 10, is killed in house fire that her mother and siblings
Lafrenière continuing his breakthrough season as a solid contributor for Rangers in NHL playoffs
One year on, a low
Donald Trump arrives at the Miami Grand Prix days after having his $250,000
Rublev overcomes fever and praises doctors after winning Madrid Open for the 1st time
Links
- Thomas Detry's late birdie assured him of a top
- Dua Lipa, Harry Styles and Ed Sheeran are named among Britain's richest under 40s
- Bella Hadid displays her jaw
- Booming seafood industry mirrors China's blue granary development
- Kevin Costner sheds happy tears during 10
- Daisy Ridley makes a splash in blue beaded dress for Olympian
- Candidates begin registering in complicated process to select Thailand's new Senate
- The Islamic State claims attack in Afghanistan that killed 3 Spanish citizens and 3 Afghans
- Trump hush money trial: What we've learned so far and what to watch for as it wraps up
- String of pars weren't enough for Collin Morikawa as others shot birdies at PGA Championship