"Today, I went shopping without spending a penny—everything was bought using credits," said Chen Lixiang, a resident of Maxiang Village in Daihua Town, Changshun County, Qiannan Prefecture, as she walked out of Shunminxing Credit Exchange Supermarket on October 27 with a full bag of goods.

Where do the credits come from? Chen explained, "Paying pension insurance on time earns 20 credits; paying garbage disposal fees earns another 20 credits... The 165 credits I redeemed today were accumulated this way."

Daihua Town has integrated resources to overcome the challenges of fragmented governance across villages and communities by introducing a "Whole-People Governance" credit system, using small credits to drive rural transformation. Now, households across the town actively compete to "earn, showcase, and redeem" credits.

"The credit system has delivered clear results. Our town completed pension insurance collection in just one month and even exceeded recruitment targets for military service," said Yang Jinsong, Deputy Party Secretary and Mayor of Daihua Town.

Located deep in the Mashan region, Daihua Town previously struggled with weak grassroots governance, low public participation, and lagging industrial development. Some villages, like Dousheng and Nabang, had experimented with credit-based governance models but faced limitations such as insufficient funding and incomplete mechanisms, hindering long-term effectiveness.

This year, the town’s Party committee and government spearheaded an initiative combining credits with village regulations. By quantifying incentives, revitalizing idle resources, and empowering collective economies, they leveraged "small credits" to achieve "big governance."

The "Whole-People Governance" credit system outlines a comprehensive framework, with the town’s comprehensive governance center coordinating efforts across departments and villages. It targets permanent rural households, focusing on six key areas—industrial development, grassroots governance, rural culture, and more—encompassing 23 priority tasks to establish a closed-loop credit management system.

Additionally, a town-level credit exchange supermarket was launched, funded with 550,000 yuan collectively raised by the town’s agricultural cooperative and nine village economic cooperatives. Operated by a registered trading company, the supermarket balances public welfare and market-driven operations, distributing profits based on shareholding ratios.

"Since opening on April 20, the supermarket has processed 623,000 credits, redeemed 371,800 credits, and generated over 1.67 million yuan in revenue," said Luo Yingzi, Executive Director of Changshun Shunminxing Trading Co., Ltd.

One credit equals one yuan—neat stacks of credit vouchers fill the supermarket’s counters. "The credit supermarket not only facilitates redemptions but also operates commercially, with profits reinvested into villages and residents, ensuring sustainability," Luo added. The system is projected to boost village collective incomes by over 100,000 yuan annually while reducing household expenses by more than 2 million yuan.

In Daichao Village, resident Zheng Yunfeng and his family were busy cleaning their home early in the morning. "Keeping our surroundings tidy makes life more comfortable, and the credits feel well-earned," Zheng said. His household ranked among the top 20 in the quarterly hygiene assessment, earning 20 credits.

Previously, Daichao Village faced poor environmental conditions, and efforts by village officials to encourage cleanliness yielded little improvement. "We talked until we were hoarse, but the impact was minimal," recalled Chen Bin, the village Party secretary. Since implementing the credit system, attitudes have shifted—residents now value not just material rewards but also the honor tied to credits.

The system also includes a competitive evaluation mechanism for the nine villages and communities, with top performers receiving bonuses of 30,000, 20,000, and 10,000 yuan, spurring healthy competition.

The "Whole-People Governance" credit system has brought six key benefits to Daihua Town: stronger grassroots organizations, increased collective income, more effective rural governance, industrial growth, enhanced rural culture, and greater public welfare. "It truly solves multiple challenges at once," Mayor Yang Jinsong remarked.