The rural areas has different cultural characteristics, ecological characteristics and industrial characteristics from the city. To promote rural vitalization, we should accurately grasp these qualities and stimulate the original vitality of the rural areas. 

Shandong started rural reform very early, explored the development of rural industries and achieved good results. With the deepening of reform, rural development in Shandong has gradually released vitality. A number of distinctive and strong villages have emerged, which steadily develop rely on its own natural endowment. Ancient villages such as Taierzhuang and Nanyang, which were built by the canal; village such as Jiushanggou, Baoquan, Wangshimen, which were built on hills; Zhu Quan, Zhu Jiayu, Li Jiatuan, Jingtang and other villages, which rely on historical culture; beautiful villages characterized by the development of Fisheries, such as  Diaolongzui, Yandunjiao. At the same time, many villages have combined their own development characteristics, vigorously developed the "rural complex" and achieved success. These rural complexes take farmers' cooperatives as the main carrier, farmers could fully participate in and benefit from them. These rural complexes integrate circular agriculture, creative agriculture, and farming experience. In Shandong Province, 14 rural complex projects were constructed. Among them, the Zhujialin Rural Complex Project in Yinan County of Linyi City was selected as the national pilot project, and the Weishui Rural Complex Project was selected as the provincial pilot project. From these successful experience of rural construction, the key to promoting rural vitalization is to stimulate its original vitality, and the policy focuses on the reconstruction of its local vitality and the restoration of self-growth and renewal. This requires us to find out the specific characteristics of rural development from the complicated phenomena, grasp the inherent laws of these characteristics for promoting rural vitalization, and thus promote the full release of rural vitality: 

Stimulating the original vitality of the rural areas, we should pay attention to its "cultural characteristics". General Secretary Xi Jinping repeatedly stressed that rural civilization is the main body of the history of Chinese national civilization. The village is the carrier of rural civilization. The farming-reading civilization is our soft power. We must preserve the rural style and persist in inheriting culture. Shandong culture has Lu culture, Qi culture, as well as Yellow River culture, marine culture, canal culture, etc. These are the profound cultural accumulations that can be relied upon by rural vitalization. Rural vitalization is to awaken the excellent morality and traditional culture that once slept, and reappear its cultural characteristics. We should innovate the culture of squire, carry forward the good deeds, and use the homesickness as the link to attract and unite the people to support the construction of the hometown and inherit the rural civilization.

Stimulating the original vitality of the rural areas, we should pay attention to its "ecological characteristics". General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We want invaluable assets and Lucid waters and lush mountains as well. It is better to have Lucid waters and lush mountains than  invaluable assets. Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." Protecting the ecological characteristics of the rural areas is to protect productivity. At one time, while concentrating on economic benefits and urban construction, we ignored the ecological protection of rural areas. In the process of development, we have savagely developed and utilized rural ecological resources, causing environmental degradation and declining quality of agricultural products, destroying the ecological characteristics of the rural areas. The terrain in Shandong is changeable and the original ecology is beautiful. It is suitable for the rural areas to integrate the natural environment and create characteristics. The countryside with many rivers and lakes can show the charm of water, the village in plain can show the pastoral scene, the  mountain village can show the landscape of mountain village, and the coastal area can show the sea scenery. Rural vitalization is not simply to imitate the construction of cities and towns, but to make full use of ecological advantages, through green development, to turn Lucid waters and lush mountains into invaluable assets.

Stimulating the original vitality of the rural areas, we should pay attention to its "industrial characteristics." Rural vitalization requires the support of industry, and farmers' prosperity also needs the support of industry. The development of rural industries should make full use of its resource endowment advantages and achieve sustainable development. The fundamental is to develop healthy ecological agriculture, focusing on the development direction of leisure tourism, cultural creativity, health services and other industries, and reconstruct the rural industrial structure. The basis of rural industrial development in Shandong is quite different, and there are many villages, which are dominated by agriculture. These villages should develop efficient agriculture and promote the development of "the Internet Plus" modern agriculture and the integration of the first, second and third industries. Villages with better industrial bases, especially the villages in the suburbs of the city, can develop modern intelligent industries and become a gathering place for modern industries such as information villages and science and technology villages.

(The author is researcher and the deputy secretary of the Party Committee of SASS)