Synopsis
In the 1990s, villagers from China's poorest region are relocated to a barren wasteland and must build a new life from nothing. Stars Huang Xuan and Reyiza. Douban 9.2. Winner of Best Actress at the Magnolia Awards.
Overview
Minning Town (Chinese: 山海情) is a 2021 Chinese drama directed by Kong Sheng and Mao Wei, starring Huang Xuan and Reyiza. This 23-episode series, based on the true story of the Ningxia-Fujian poverty alleviation partnership, aired on five major satellite channels and streaming platforms beginning January 12, 2021.
With a Douban rating of 9.2, it is the highest-rated poverty alleviation drama in Chinese television history. Reyiza won Best Actress at the 27th Shanghai Television Festival Magnolia Awards for her portrayal of Shuihua.
Plot Summary
In the 1990s, Xihaigu in Ningxia is deemed one of the most uninhabitable places on Earth. Under China's poverty alleviation policy, villagers are relocated to the barren Gobi wasteland of Yuquanying, where they must build a new home from scratch.
Young village cadre Ma Defu (Huang Xuan) takes on the daunting task of securing electricity, irrigation, and basic infrastructure. He grows from an inexperienced youth into a dedicated grassroots leader. His childhood sweetheart Shuihua (Reyiza), forced into marriage for the price of a donkey, carves out her own path through sheer determination and tireless labor.
Fujian Province pairs with Ningxia under the east-west cooperation program. Fujian official Ling Yinong (Huang Jue) teaches the villagers to grow mushrooms, leading them out of poverty. From barren wasteland to a thriving modern town, one generation writes the most moving chapter in China's poverty alleviation story.
Cast
| Actor | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Huang Xuan | Ma Defu | Village cadre leading poverty alleviation |
| Reyiza | Shuihua | Resilient woman who changes her fate through hard work |
| Zhang Jiayi | Ma Hanshui | Ma Defu's father |
| You Yongzhi | Da Da You | Village elder |
| Huang Jue | Ling Yinong | Fujian aid official |
Cultural Significance
Minning Town changed how Chinese audiences view poverty alleviation dramas. It contains no slogans or propaganda — only real land, real people, and real tears. Reyiza's Shuihua, a woman crushed by fate who never bows down, became the most moving screen presence of 2021.
The series is based on the true story of Minning Town in Ningxia. The real-life counterpart went from barren nothingness to a modern town with annual output exceeding billions of yuan — a model of China's east-west poverty alleviation cooperation.
References
- Douban: https://movie.douban.com/subject/35033654/
- Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/山海情
- Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/山海情
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