Experiential learning

The song used in the video was adapted from the popular 2021 single Gu Yong Zhe (Lonely Warrior), sung by Hong Kong singer Eason Chan, but the lyrics were rewritten to pay tribute to the persistence and contributions of those working in neighborhood committees. In the video, the song is sung by 18 assistants to the Party secretaries of 16 villages in Shanghai, seven of whom are Fudan alumni.

"This 4.5-minute video took me nearly a month to complete, as I was busy during the day and could only work on it at night. All the effort is worth it, however, as this video will lift people's spirits," says Zhang. He came up with the idea for the music video when the first video he produced, showcasing the efforts of committee members in managing the lockdown of the village, was well-received by the residents.

"We were living in our offices, so that we could quickly respond to the demands of the 5,000 residents. Every day for nearly a month, the village committee members answered over 80 calls, changed their protective clothing eight times a day, distributed rations and patrolled the village," says the 25-year-old. "I just thought that these experiences should be recorded."

Zhang notes that his time in the village has been a memorable one, filled with many learning experiences. A native of Hunan province, Zhang could barely understand the Shanghai dialect when he first started serving in the village. Today, he can converse with the villagers fluently and has even developed a local accent.

"I'm delighted to see that life in the village has gradually returned to normal. This experience has allowed me to grow and learn more about social management. Working in communities allows me to better understand the needs of the people, compared to just reading theories in a textbook," he says.