On the windswept grasslands of Ruoergai in southwest China's Sichuan Province, a man with a camera is rewriting the story of rural connectivity. Fan Heqi, a local Party member known affectionately as "Brother Fan," has spent the past year traversing 3,500 meters above sea level to create something unprecedented: over 600 family portraits for nomadic herding households, many documenting multigenerational families for the first time.
"These photos are more than keepsakes – they're bridges," Fan explains. His initiative, launched through the Party's rural cultural services program, has evolved into a dual-purpose mission. While preserving traditions threatened by modernization, the portraits help authorities identify households needing targeted support through visible clues like housing conditions and livestock health.
The project reflects China's evolving approach to rural revitalization. By combining cultural preservation with practical aid, Party workers like Fan address both emotional and material needs. Recent portraits helped allocate heating subsidies to 23 families and connect 17 students with educational grants.
As China celebrates Party Founding Day, Fan's story highlights grassroots efforts shaping social policy. "Every shutter click echoes the Party's commitment," says local official Ma Jingwei. "It's governance through both data and heart."
For travelers and researchers, the portraits now serve as cultural archives – snapshots of disappearing felt tents alongside new solar panels, traditional robes worn with smartphone cases. As digital nomads discover Ruoergai's landscapes, they encounter communities where ancient pastoral traditions meet modern social support systems.
