Colorful years

Just then, an elderly woman dressed in exquisite traditional Tujia clothing slowly walked up to Congcong, a kind smile on her face, and said to Congcong:

"Young man, you are truly a brilliant genius! I put a lot of effort into coming up with these riddles, and you've managed to solve them all. Come, let me tell you a touching story."

The elderly man, with his gray hair and the marks of time on his face, held Congcong's small, tender hand tightly, and walked unsteadily to a bench not far away, where he gently sat down.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, dappling their bodies like specks of gold.

The old man narrowed his eyes slightly, cleared his throat, and then, in his slightly hoarse yet captivating voice, began to tell an ancient and mysterious legend about the Tujia people: "Long, long ago, on this beautiful and mysterious land..."

As the old man vividly recounted the story, Congcong became completely immersed in that bizarre and fantastical world.

He stared intently at the old man, his eyes wide, as if afraid of missing any gripping detail.

Whenever the old man talked about tense and exciting parts, Congcong's heart would jump to his throat; and when he heard about interesting parts, he couldn't help but let out a clear laugh.

At this moment, Congcong seemed to have traveled through time and space, and was in that incredibly fantastical ancient world.

In this mysterious world, Congcong witnessed the thrilling battles between brave Tujia warriors and ferocious beasts; he appreciated the graceful figures of the Tujia girls dancing around the campfire; and he deeply felt the Tujia people's awe of nature and their unremitting pursuit and yearning for a better life.

Before they knew it, the story was over, but Congcong was still engrossed in it, wanting more.

He was deeply attracted by the unique charm of Tujia culture, and a strong feeling welled up in his heart—he wanted to pass on this long-standing, profound and unique Tujia culture and carry it forward!

This unwavering determination burned like a blazing flame in his young heart, shining brightly and never extinguished.

After telling the story, the old man gently patted Congcong on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Young man, you must remember that our Tujia culture is an invaluable treasure. You must study it well, inherit it, and carry it forward, so as to bring glory to our nation!"

Congcong nodded solemnly, indicating that he would definitely keep the old man's words in mind.

As night fell, the activities on the threshing ground gradually came to an end. The villagers packed up their belongings, preparing to embark on their journey home.

Congcong and his friends waved goodbye reluctantly, promising to meet again next time.

On his way home, Congcong was in an exceptionally good mood. He reflected on everything that had happened that day and felt incredibly lucky.

He not only successfully guessed all the riddles, winning the competition and a generous reward, but more importantly, he gained a lot of confidence and precious friendships.

He secretly resolved that he must study hard and strive to grow in the future, so as to contribute his modest efforts to the inheritance and promotion of Tujia culture.

……

Time flies, and many years have passed in the blink of an eye. Congcong has long since entered society and begun a new chapter in her life.

Initially, he diligently wrote various articles with his skillful pen, sparing no effort to promote and introduce the excellent Tujia culture.

As time went by, Congcong gradually rose to prominence in the Cultural Bureau and took on a leadership position due to his outstanding work ability and deep affection for Tujia culture.

During this period, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to the work of excavating, sorting out, and applying for the classification of Tujia ethnic intangible cultural heritage projects, and achieved remarkable results.

The most talked-about event was the major incident that occurred in 2010.

That year, through Congcong's tireless efforts and advocacy, he successfully secured strong support from the Provincial Department of Culture.

Subsequently, he fully utilized his organizational and coordination skills, as well as his talent for writing and directing, to meticulously integrate outstanding cultural resources from across the province.

Ultimately, he personally led a team representing Hunan Province to Shanghai to participate in a wonderful performance during the World Expo Cultural Week that year.

On the world-renowned stage of the World Expo, Zhangjiajie's unique folk culture shone brightly, showcasing its captivating charm and profound cultural heritage to the world.

This has not only greatly enhanced the popularity and influence of Zhangjiajie's folk culture, but also made an indelible and important contribution to promoting the inheritance and development of outstanding traditional Chinese culture.

For this, he was awarded a third-class merit and received commendation and awards from the provincial government.

That's a story for another time; I'll tell you about it in detail later.