President Xi Jinping spent seven years of his youth in Liangjiahe. (Photo : Reuters)
The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) has approved a television series that features the stories of farmers and "educated youth" during the 1970s in the village of Liangjiahe in Shaanxi Province, known as where President Xi Jinping spent seven years as a zhiqing.
According to a statement on Wednesday by the Shaanxi Liangjiahe Cultural Tourism Company, the SAPPRFT approved its proposed 45-episode TV series entitled "Liangjiahe."
The statement also said that Wen Haojie, an accomplished Chinese writer, will be in charge of the screenplay for the series.
"Liangjiahe" will tell the stories of farmers and zhiqing, showcasing their hardworking nature and spirit by depicting their experiences, according to a report by the Global Times.
Zhiqing, the Chinese term for "sent-down youth," were young people who were relocated from towns and cities to rural villages to work from the 1950s to the 1970s as part of Mao Zedong's "Up to the Mountain and Down to the Countryside Movement."
In February, Xi and First Lady Peng Liyuan visited the village. He told the villagers that he felt excited to return.
"I came to Liangjiahe in January 1969 and spent seven years here. Although I left the village, I left my heart with you all," Xi told the villagers.
Xi joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1974 while he was in Liangjiahe. He also led the local production team, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
"We have yet to receive more information about the TV series from the production company," said the village head surnamed Gong to the Global Times.
Gong expressed his hope that the TV series will allow viewers to witness the history, culture and spirit of their village.
