这个被称为“天坑”的村子，在悬崖上凿出一条致富路……

“下庄像口井，井有万丈深。”这句顺口溜是此前位于重庆市巫山县下庄村的真实写照。

In the heart of Wushan county, SouthWest China’s Chongqing, lies Xiazhuang village, a place that was once synonymous with isolation and hardship. 

下庄四周高山绝壁合围，因而又被称为“天坑”。从“井口”到“井底”，垂直高度有1100多米。

Nestled amidst towering cliffs, the villagers faced unimaginable challenges for years because of being trapped within the mountains.

“有人生病了，就只能在屋里等死，因为没法送出去医治；有好的农产品，也卖不出去，全都困在大山里。”这样的绝境让村党支部书记毛相林和村民们下定决心不管有多艰难都要修路，“受苦受累不要紧，让我们成为受穷的最后一代人”。

1997年，毛相林带领全体村民，以牺牲6条生命的代价，历时7年，在绝壁上凿出了一条长达8公里的“天路”。

The turning point came in 1997 when Mao Xianglin, the village party secretary, rallied the community for an ambitious endeavor — building an 8-kilometer-long road through the sheer cliffs, a project that took seven years and the sacrifice of six lives. 

下庄人修路，在悬崖峭壁上一点点凿，一处一处地放上炸药炸，风餐露宿，为赶工期，他们夜里就在山洞里小憩。

这条绵延8公里的“天路”，让原本3天的出村行程被缩短为几个小时，为村里人带来脱贫致富的希望。

Dubbed "sky road," the winding road with multiple hairpin turns links the village to the outside world, shortening the 3-day trip before to a few hours' drive.

路通之后，如何寻找合适的产业项目？这成了毛相林花费力气最多的事情。

With the road in place, the challenge shifted to finding sustainable economic opportunities. 

毛相林做过许多尝试：“原先我种过漆树，辛辛苦苦把树苗栽下，没成想气候不适合，第二年树苗全枯死了。后来又养过山羊、桑蚕，都不顺。”在一系列的失败后，通过咨询农科专家，村里发展起了柑橘种植业。

After several failed attempts, including cultivating lacquer trees and raising goats and silkworms, the villagers turned to citrus farming, guided by agricultural experts. 

据毛相林介绍，柑橘现已成为村里重要的经济作物。2021年，下庄村实现柑橘销售收入100万元，村民人均收入达到2万元。今年，下庄村柑橘园预计产出20余万斤，能使80多户村民增收获益。

By 2021, the village had achieved a significant milestone, earning one million yuan in revenue from citrus sales, with each villager earning an average income of 20,000 yuan.

10月的柑橘还都是青绿色，却承载着下庄村村民们的希望，待到成熟时，金灿灿的柑橘就成了村里人的“致富果”。

路通了，基础建设好了，下庄村的旅游业也蓬勃发展，“巫山天路下庄景区”更是被评定为国家4A级旅游景区。

With more convenient infrastructure, Xiazhuang village now become a hub for visitors. Its picturesque beauty attracts travelers from far and wide.

年过六旬的村民杨元鼎是曾经参与修路的人之一。2017年，他和村里的另外两个贫困户一起建了一个三合院，经营起了民宿和农家乐。

The village's tourism industry flourished, with numerous local residents opening homestays and guesthouses.

Among them, Yang Yuanding, who had once contributed to building the road, established a successful homestay business, offering tourists a taste of the village's natural splendor.

目前，三家一共有18个房间、25个床位，全年营业额可达30万元，每户可分得10余万。旅游旺季的时候，甚至需要提前预定，有时还住不下。

杨元鼎说，11月时，周围会是满山红叶，景色很美，欢迎大家来下庄看一看。

除了杨元鼎的“三合院”，下庄村还有“彭来小院”、“元琴小院”、“仁松小院”等一批在村民原居上改造、以村民名字命名的民宿，布置得十分温馨，迎接着四方来客。

乡村变美了，年轻人也回来了。今年31岁的袁孝鑫是一名返乡创业大学生。2022年初，她回到家乡，在小院里开起了“下庄布谷”植物扎染工坊。

In the midst of the village's transformation, young people, like Yuan Xiaoxin, a returning college graduate, found opportunities in her homeland. 

扎染是中国民间传统的染色工艺之一，利用皮筋、玻璃球等不同的器具，可以实现不同的“扎”法，在白布上绘制丰富的图案。除了衣物、帆布包等，袁孝鑫还用扎染做了玩具、围巾等一系列文创。

Yuan, 31-year-old, founded a zaran, botanical tie-dye dyeing workshop, reviving traditional Chinese dyeing techniques. Her venture not only brought in substantial revenue but also became a cultural attraction, allowing tourists to experience the charm of intangible cultural heritage firsthand.

袁孝鑫介绍，仅靠线下售卖，旅游旺季时月营收便可达万余元。在扎染工坊里，游客还可以自己动手制作，感受非遗魅力。

袁孝鑫不久前还当选了下庄村村委会主任。对村子的未来，她有着自己的规划：她希望通过培训村里的阿姨，让她们掌握扎染技术，促进就业。此外，她还想在村里打造咖啡馆等文艺空间，吸引更多年轻人前来游玩。

Yuan was elected as the director of the village committee. With an eye on the future, she envisioned a village where traditional crafts thrived, employment opportunities multiplied, and vibrant spaces like coffee shops and art hubs attracted the younger generation.

这与毛相林对村子的五年规划不谋而合。他的畅想是，村子里要有景观，有玩的、有看的，这样才能留住客人。

当了40多年的基层干部，毛相林认为，自己有一个好的良知：不为自己、不谋私利，一生想着全村人。

让全村人致富，是他一直的梦想。“现在我高兴了，我付出的一切值得了，给老百姓带来翻天覆地的变化，这让我感觉骄傲。”

Mao Xianglin, who had spent over four decades as a grassroots leader, found fulfillment in the village's transformation. His dream of lifting his community out of poverty and be prosperous had become a reality, bringing about a profound change that filled him with pride.

记者：朱迪齐 谭英姿