The survey also found that few villages incorporate cultural offerings as many village leaders saw investment in this area as wasted.

Because of a lack of entertainment options, for example, many villagers chose gambling as their only way of killing time, with often tragic consequences.

The system of model villages also seemed to be a problem in Ye's survey as the models are based on already affluent villages.

"Their development experience cannot be copied by other villages," the research group quoted surveyed farmers as saying. "Also, input focusing on model villages may lead to a further imbalance of resources."

The survey also found that although the central government is investing hugely in the new countryside program, governmental bureaus above those of village level are misusing these funds.

As such, farmers said they experienced trouble getting loans for their agricultural products and over two-thirds of farmers said they could not get sufficient investment in their land despite being willing to develop it.

According to Ye, the central government's guidelines for new countryside development might be well-intended, but lackluster enforcement by local governments is severely harming their implementation.

Ye's research goal

The biggest goal of Ye's survey is to raise awareness of social needs and to listen to farmers' opinions while constructing the new countryside. Ye said he feels sorry that farmers, after having been ignored by development for so long, now don't believe in government promises to improve their lives.

"If the campaign can't motivate farmers to participate, it won't succeed," he said. "As long as they are involved and treat the campaign as their own goats and wheat, they will put their heart and soul into the program."

When the book was finished, Ye invited the various participating groups such as migrant workers' children and the farmers in his pilot villages to his seminars to share the fruits of his work. The reason, he said, is simple: "Doing research is actually a responsibility you shoulder for the group you interview."

(China Daily, Dec. 6, 2006)