In March 25, the finals of the first session of a rural basketball competition in Guizhou Province are underway in Tanpan Village, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture.
In 2022, a rural basketball competition in this village made a splash across the province and went viral on China's social media platforms. There were no superstar players, no advertising, and no tickets. But a single match among ordinary villagers could attract over 10,000 people to sit in the stands. The cumulative number of views on live-streaming platforms reached hundreds of millions.
During traditional festivals such as Chixin Festival that falls on the sixth of June in the Chinese lunar calendar, local villagers will organize basketball competitions to celebrate a good harvest. The bonus gifts are agricultural products including rice, fish and duck.
Staffs set up the basket prior to a basketball game between Team Tongren and Team Qiandongnan held in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Ga)
A villager sells local product prior to a basketball game between Team Tongren and Team Qiandongnan held in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Ga)
An areial photo taken on March 25, 2023 shows a basketball game between Team Tongren and Team Qiandongnan held in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)
A kid plays basketball in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)
Villagers gather prior to a basketball game between Team Tongren and Team Qiandongnan held in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Ga)
A staff is seen in a basketball-themed shop in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)
Xie Tao (R) of Team Qiandongnan and Wang Lianbo of Team Tongren jump for the ball during a basketball game between Team Tongren and Team Qiandongnan held in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province on March 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)
Kids play basketball in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Wu Zhuang)
Artists dance prior to a basketball game between Team Tongren and Team Qiandongnan held in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)
Produced by Xinhua Global Service
