China: The west is red · Global Voices
John Kennedy

If you're still up in the air over what to do over the Chinese New Year holiday, or if you just happen to have a couple weeks off, you could always go to China's impoverished inland region and participate in the construction of the new socialist countryside.
Southern Rural News editor Tan Yifei's got a plan [zh], Regarding the initiative to go to rural experimental zones for the Spring Festival, posted to his Sina.com blog late last month:
同志们：
一年一度的春节即将到来，首先预祝各位新春快乐。
春节是中华民族的传统节日，有着其独特的含义和魅力。但是随着社会的发展，我们在城市已经很少能够体验到春节的味道了。那么也许您已经厌烦了城市商业的喧嚣和浮躁，也许您尚没有体验过北方传统春节的趣味，也许您还没有接触过冬日里的北方农村，但是现在只要您愿意，您就可以去农村过年。
The annual Spring Festival is upon us, and first I wish everyone a happy new spring.
Spring Festival is a traditional holiday for the Chinese people, and it has its unique significance and charm. But as society develops, us here in the cities far too seldom taste the flavor of spring. Perhaps you're sick of the commercial hoopla and flippancy of the city, or maybe you still haven't experienced the delight of a traditional northern Spring Festival, or seen a northern village in winter. But so long as you're willing, you too could see in the new year from the countryside.
青年中国行动是由一批极其热心、极其年轻的青年志愿者发起的追求理想服务祖国的活动，其核心理念是：让无理想者拥有理想，让有理想者拥有思想，让有志青年付诸行动，让持续行动改变中国。尽管其现在依然处于筹备阶段，但是其下属的子工作项目大学生反哺农村工程已经开展两年多，并在陕西洛南建立了新农村建设试验区，其中承担了部分城乡和谐互动的职能。
今年春节，试验区农民协会再一次和大学生支农办公室联手，开展部分文艺活动，如果您在春节期间去试验区过年，您不仅可以体验到北方农村风情，还可以了解到试验区农村民情，进一步加深对祖国传统文化和祖国国情的认识。
蒸花馍，写春联，舞狮子，扭秧歌，敬火神，放鞭炮等等，您都可以亲身体验。
促进城乡和谐互动，建设社会主义新村，就在我们的共同行动之中。洛南试验区欢迎您的光临。
联系人：
马永红 13002944313（西安）13991414900 （商洛）
（青年中国行动中心代总干事）
邓三平09147566667（洛南试验区农民协会会长）
殷本涛13991564225（大学生反哺农村工程洛南负责人）
A modern and voluntary twist on discredited socialist policies for people left behind by their capitalist cousins in the cities? Have China's neo-red youth taken up the slack which local cadres and NGOs don't or can't? Ma Yonghong, the force behind this project, at least is a local. From one of the poorest families in his village, he was accepted into the police academy in the provincial capital, but dropped out after two years, disillusioned with the flippancy, falling in love, net-surfing and video games [zh+photo] he saw there, and returned to his village, to his mother's anger, to put back into his community. Many photos from his work there can be found on his own blog. Such a huge topic, there's so much more to be said, not the least on Ma Yonghong himself. Any questions? Or need for further translations? Please leave a comment.
More information on China's “new socialist countryside” plan here, here, here and here.