Miao Xiaojuan stands as a defining creative force in modern China—a self-taught visionary whose intimate, multifaceted documentaries transcend conventional storytelling.

She embodies a rare renaissance spirit: writing, producing, directing, interviewing, narrating, and meticulously editing each frame herself. Her genius lies in extracting profound universal narratives from unseen lives, placing ordinary and extraordinary Chinese citizens—”unsung heroes” you’d otherwise never encounter—into the sweeping context of governance, democracy, and human resilience. Her latest work, Grassroots Governance in China, exemplifies this power.

Ground-Level Governance Through an Unfiltered Journey

The core question Miao explores is: “How is China governed from the ground up? What does political leadership look like far from Beijing?” Miao doesn’t just ask—she takes viewers on an unvarnished journey that showcases people rather than political abstractions.

To accomplish this Miao brought six respected Western experts – academics and seasoned China observers – to be unique lens through which local realities were examined and shared with global audiences, adding critical depth and cross-cultural perspectives.

Together, they venture into the heart of China’s local governance system to capture the stories of people and the daily mechanics and challenges they face. It’s not about theory; it’s the experience of village leaders, dispute mediators, and rural developers who are behind what China has become.

Miao’s camera takes audiences to places where governance meets geography and culture head-on:

• The remote Yi Village in Sichuan: to see ethnic minority integration and what poverty alleviation in the mountainous terrain is about.
• The ancient porcelain town in Jiangxi, where local officials were involved in heritage preservation as a means of economic development.
• A windswept Qinghai City, where community building and service delivery goes on in harsh, remote environments.

These locations aren’t just backdrops; they are active participants in the narrative of grassroots resilience and innovation.

Experts:

• Simon Lichtenberg: Founder & CEO, Trayton Group
• Gary Sigley: Professor, Australian Studies Center, Beijing Foreign Studies University
• Einar Tangen: Senior Fellow, Taihe Institute, Chairman of Asia Narratives Substack
• Peter Helis: Chief Advisor, Investment Promotion Bureau, Guangzhou
• William Brown: Professor, School of Management, Xiamen University
• Roland Boer: Professor, School of Philosophy, Renmin University of China

The documentary resonates because it humanizes China’s local government by shifting the focus from institutions to individuals – the local leaders and citizens solving problems, driving development, and “delivering democracy,” a theme echoing her earlier documentaries on Chinese Mayors.

Miao masterfully connects micro-level struggles and triumphs (dispute resolution, village planning, cultural preservation) with the macro themes of national governance, stability, and the Chinese development model.

The effort offers a “rare, firsthand look” at the often-invisible cogs of Chinese political life far from Beijing’s corridors of power.

By involving Western experts and focusing on universal challenges (community development, leadership, service delivery), the documentary speaks to audiences worldwide about China’s governance in the 21st century.

Miao Xiaojuan doesn’t just document China; she exposes its soul from the ground up. Grassroots Governance in China is more than a film—it’s an essential portal into the complex, human-driven reality of how China functions at its foundation. It answers the pivotal questions of local leadership and service with empathy, rigor, and a perspective you genuinely “don’t want to miss.”

Her work cements her status not just as an award-winning filmmaker, but as a vital interpreter of China’s ongoing story.

If you have a chance, watch this 80 minute window into how China became China.

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