In March 1965, advocated by Comrade Li Zhen, the Secretary of the Prefectural Committee at the time, and Comrade Chen Jishi, in order to adapt to the needs of rural cultural work, personnel with certain artistic expertise were drawn from cultural centers, theater troupes, schools, factories and film teams across the region, and a "cultural work propaganda team" was established. The main members include Jie Yusheng (later served as the director of the Dezhou Cultural Center), Liang Xinchun (later served as the captain of the Wucheng County Film Team), Wang Shunun (later served as the head of the Ping Opera Troupe of Wucheng County), Ding Jian (later served as the lecturer of the Dezhou Divisional Teachers College), Liu Dahua (later served as the chief of the Dezhou Art Team), Li Changgui (later served as the director of the Dezhou Art Troupe), Tian Zhongzhi (also known as the teacher of the Dezhou National Cotton Factory), Liu Xiaolan (also known as the librarian of the Ningjin County Cultural Center), Yan Jingshui (formerly the Lu Opera Troupe of Yucheng County), Chen Lianzhong (currently the manager of the Ling County Theater), etc. There are 19 people in the team. The preparatory office was originally located on the second floor of the former administrative cadre school and later moved to the acrobatic troupe. Comrades in charge of administration and business will temporarily designate Comrade Mao Yanfu, Comrade Xia Bin and Comrade Zhang Fuhai from the former specialized agency.
The art team has been active in the vast rural areas of in the Dezhou area for more than a year. I have visited Renguanzhuang in Xiajin County, Misanli in Qihe County, Wang Shuangzhi in Leling County, Sinusi in Pingyuan County (now Wucheng), Caocun in Dezhou City, etc. He also went to factories, troops and airports to conduct condolence performances many times. According to recollections, 13 counties (cities) in the region have been to nine county towns and most rural areas.
During the performances in the countryside, the art team learned and carried forward the revolutionary fine traditions of old literary and artistic workers in the war years. Whenever the team members arrived at a place, they were not afraid of hardship or fatigue. They visited the poor and asked about the hardships, ate, live and work with the masses, and helped the masses fetch water, sweep the yard, watch the children, and cook. Thinking about it now, I really had the style of the Eighth Route Army in the past! The programs performed by the art team, except for the excellent programs studied in other places, are mostly self-written local good people, typical deeds, and exemplary figures. It has played a positive role in inspiring the masses' emotions, publicizing the Party's policies and carrying out rural cultural activities.
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The conditions for the performance of the art team were difficult at that time, but the mood of the team members was high and optimistic. Everyone is united and friendly, helping each other, not caring about conditions, not paying attention to treatment, performing seriously, and having a simple style. There is no venue or curtain, just find a flat piece of land to perform. Without lights or enlargers, you can sing with the moonlight. The team members are all good at singing and acting, can edit and sing, can dance and direct, "one specialty and many skills".
The performance of the art team in the countryside has been welcomed and praised by the masses. Some people praised it: "We have a ' Ulanmuqi ' in the northern Shandong Plain." This small art team was decided by the Prefectural Committee and was named "Dezhou Regional Rural Cultural Work Team". The art team was named soon after, and then cooperated with a publicity performance.
"One donkey , one well, three hoes cause revolution." This is a story that the masses praised Leling County for its main purpose in Yuan Hongquan and the three elderly people farming as the revolution. The Prefectural Committee discovered and summarized the typical deeds of the three elderly people. Later, the Provincial Party Committee and the Central Committee affirmed the noble spirit of the three elderly people to farm for revolution and called for extensive publicity and study. In order to cooperate with the provincial and prefectural committees to promote the deeds of the three elderly people, they can promote the three elderly people through their vivid and intuitive images - they are old and have no fear of hardship or fatigue, and eat and live in the fields all year round. In the early years, they won a bumper harvest of grain on 30 acres of land with a donkey and a well. The art team accepted this great influence propaganda task and organized a creative team at that time. Comrades Xia Bin, Ding Jian, Li Changgui, Yang Zhongzhi, Zhang Ruorong and other comrades went deep into Yuan Hongquan, Leling County for interviews. Through more than a month of conversations with the elderly, holding symposiums, listening to the introductions of cadres and the masses, we collected and sorted out more than 20 typical deeds about the three elderly people farming for the revolution, and created more than a dozen literary and artistic singing programs.Such as the song and dance "Three Masters Find the Gap", Shandong Kuaishu "A Seedling", crosstalk "Three Three See Nine", songs "Old Man and Red Hearts Are in", "Three Old Man Farming for Revolution", etc., the rehearsal and performing the "Yuan Hongquan Gala". These programs were published and played by " Dazhong Daily ", the Provincial "Mass Art" and Shandong Radio. The legend of "a donkey, a well, and three hoes to make a revolution" has spread throughout the province and the whole country. Yuan Hongquan also attended the National Day ceremony in Beijing for the 25th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
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In 1966, the art team was just starting. In July of that year, the "Cultural Revolution" began, and the team members were in a mess and their work could not be carried out. Since the team has not been officially established, the team members have been transferred from various units, and their salaries are not paid, so eating has become a problem. There was no choice but to return to their original units to "make a revolution". A vanguard group on the cultural front that was very prosperous and promising was dissolved on its own in 1967. (Xiabin)
