In March this year, a 64-year-old woman in Shangchou Village, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, became an overnight sensation after her story was broadcast on China's Central Television (CCTV).

Lan Fengxiu and eight other older villagers spent more than 300 days constructing a 3km dirt road around a mountain, ending their isolation from the outside world.

They used simple farm tools and worked more than eight hours a day, driven by the aim of enabling children in their village to go to school and see the outside world. They called it the "road to happiness".

Students from Anhui Fuyang University show their paper-cutting skills, with the Chinese characters of "building a harmonious society". (photo: China Daily)

Millions of viewers were moved. Wang Ren, director and producer of Shanghai-based Dragon TV Station, was one of them.

It was the second time that Wang had seen the story, having first read about it in a local magazine. So when he began preparing for a documentary about "building a harmonious socialist society", the political catchphrase of recent years, the first person he wanted to interview was Lan.

"She exactly illustrates the common people's contribution to the building of a harmonious society," Wang says.

Lan's became the lead story in the five-episode documentary called Road to Revival (Fu Xing Zhi Lu).

Wang concedes that poor people doing things without help from those with wealth or authority could appear to contradict the concept of a "harmonious society".

However, he sees it differently.

"Chinese people have such a strong tradition of caring for others, doing things for others," he says.

About 30 stories were included in the 250-minute documentary, which was first screened from October 10 to 14, just before the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Due to popular demand, it was aired again from October 15 to 19.

Among those featured in the documentary is Chen Faqing, a farmer in Fengkou County in East China's Zhejiang Province, who spent his savings of 500,000 yuan ($67,500) advertising in newspapers for better environmental protection after he realized the drinking water in his hometown was seriously polluted due to economic development.

There is also the story of a couple living near the Taklimakan Desert, who grew trees along the roadside and provided food, water and basic aid for passers-by.

And then there's Shi Shuzhu, a villager in Minqin County of Northwest China's Gansu Province, who spent 50 years planting trees to prevent the desert from devouring his village.

It also showed volunteers helping poor children continue their studies, seeking financial or technical support for migrant workers to get medical care, or helping disabled people learn skills.

Wang Ren says these people give him hope that a harmonious society can be realized: A society in which people care for each other, respect differences and appreciate others.

"It's in accordance with Chinese tradition that there is great power among common people," he says.

China's double-digit growth in recent years has led to problems, including widespread environmental pollution and increased income division, which impairs social stability.

The catchphrase "harmonious society" first appeared in the report of the 16th CPC National Congress, in November 2002, which discussed building a moderately prosperous society in the first 20 years of this century.

University and middle school students from Jiangsu Province express the message of harmony with their paintings. (photo: China Daily)

In September 2004, "building a harmonious socialist society" was first put forward by the 16th CPC Central Committee at its fourth plenary session, and in 2005 President Hu Jintao addressed the topic in his keynote speech at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

In October 2006, the CPC identified the general requirements of "building a harmonious socialist society" as "democracy and the rule of law, equity and justice, honesty and fraternity, vigor and vitality, stability and order, and harmony between man and nature".

Wang says that while shooting, he found that many of the people he met had found contentment through helping others.

"The building of a harmonious society is a process of mass involvement and can only be achieved when every individual's interest is respected and fulfilled," Wang says.

That is the documentary's message: The significance of "harmony" in the hearts of individuals to the country's economic and social development.

"Common people are significant to the building of a harmonious society. They have the right to participate and share the achievement," says Li Youmei, professor of sociology at Shanghai University.

Wang says he tried to find examples of wealthy people contributing to society, but came up empty handed.

"I've found common Chinese much better than the rich," he says.

The documentary also explores the role of government in building a harmonious society.

Through interviews with experts on politics, philosophy and sociology, it defines "harmonious society" from the outset. "A harmonious society can provide enough space for different approaches to individual development, while fully respecting their human dignity," says Zhu Weizheng, professor of history with Shanghai's Fudan University.

"It's the responsibility of the government to create the environment," Wang says.

Chen Xian, professor at Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, agrees. "The government should provide satisfactory public services for the people, including national defense, public security, medical care, education, minimum living allowances and so on."

"The proposal of building a harmonious society and the way the Party and the government practice it will see more attention paid to individuals and their different attitudes," says Yan Shuhan, director of the scientific socialism division of the Central Party School.

He said the government should play a leading role while the people should be encouraged to take part in building a harmonious society.

Wang agrees the government should provide better public services and that it has not done enough.

He says the dirt road Lan Fengxiu and other villagers built will be easily destroyed when it rains, and they'll have to keep repairing it.

A permanent road would cost another 300,000 yuan ($41,000) and Lan asked the producer for help to raise the money. "I could do nothing, but gave them several thousand yuan myself, which is nowhere near enough," he said.

(China Daily December 14, 2007)