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Across China: Village Super League inspires passion for football, life in ethnic communities

Xinhua | Updated: 2025-01-07 15:55
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Players of Xiaorui village and Panxue village compete during the opening game at the Village Super League 2025 in Rongjiang county of Southwest China's Guizhou province, Jan 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

GUIYANG -- Basking in the warm winter sun, residents of Dali Dong village in Southwest China's Guizhou province are busy preparing for the influx of tourists during the local Village Super League football tournament.

Nestled among mountains and lush greenery, Dali Dong village in Rongjiang county is a traditional village with centuries of history. Over 1,300 villagers of the Dong ethnic group live in well-preserved stilt-style wooden houses, continuing the traditions of embroidery and singing Dong folk songs.

Visitors come from around the world. Activities like weaving, embroidering and catching fish in rice fields offer tourists a vibrant array of experiences. In 2023, the Guizhou Village Super League, affectionately known as Cun Chao, became a sensation, catapulting the small mountainous county of Rongjiang into the spotlight.

As of Dec 11, the event had attracted over 9.03 million tourists in 2024, generating a total tourism revenue of more than 10.4 billion yuan (about $1.4 billion).

Last year, Dali Dong village received nearly 100,000 tourists, while the number of homestays in the village increased from 18 in 2022 to 46 in 2024 — with 90 percent run by locals.

Yang Bo, a villager who once worked at a hydropower station, left his high-paying job to transform his home into a homestay. He said the Village Super League resulted in a surge of tourists, which allowed him to earn nearly 200,000 yuan in 2024.

"I love my hometown, and I believe the homestay industry has immense potential," Yang said, adding that he hopes his efforts will attract more tourists to enjoy the village's natural beauty and cultural richness.

This year, the village has organized a team to participate in the third session of the Village Super League, which began on Jan 4. Yang, now the assistant coach of the village's football team, said their participation is not just for entertainment but also to strengthen community bonds and village cohesion.

Beyond the football matches, the Village Super League features a wealth of ethnic cultural performances.

Baibei village has been participating for three consecutive years. In 2023, the village organized a cheerleading team, whose members debuted on the football field in festive costumes and showcased intangible cultural heritage, making the village an internet sensation.

The village has released a series of promotional videos. It has also organized local artisans to create handicrafts and football-related products for sale online. Since June 2023, sales of these products have generated revenue exceeding 800,000 yuan.

Driven by love for their hometowns and encouraged by improved economic opportunities, more young people are choosing to return home to start businesses.

Tan Youyun from Setong village, who used to run a company selling ultrasonic facilities in East China's Zhejiang province, saw the popularity of the Village Super League as an important business opportunity in her hometown.

Confident in the charm of the local natural landscape and the mysterious Miao ethnic culture, she decided to rent a house there and turn it into a homestay.

"I'll use videos and online streaming to promote local agricultural and cultural products. I hope to attract more tourists to experience the village's charm," Tan said.

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