Brian Linden (1st L) from the US lives in an ancient township in Dali city, southwest China’s Yunnan province. (Photo/Xinhua)

Brian Linden from the US lives in an ancient township in Dali city, southwest China’s Yunnan province, and is dedicated to integrating ethnic culture into tourism.

Linden, who runs Linden Centre, a boutique hotel in Xizhou town, fell in love with China during a journey he made here in 1984. In 2004, he and his wife moved to a village in Xizhou, once an important hub of the ancient Tea Horse Road.

While in Xizhou, Linden's attention was captured by the Yang family compound, a building with distinctive Bai architecture features. Hiring local builders, Linden turned the compound into a boutique hotel and a place for cultural exchange.

Every year, Linden invites foreign students to Xizhou to learn about the local culture, ecology and customs. His reason for doing so is that the Western world has many misunderstandings of China, and he felt obliged to let the world see the real China.

Linden (2nd R) talks with visitors at Linden Centre, a boutique hotel in Xizhou town. (Photo/Chinanews.com)

When the hotel stopped operations in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Linden said it was time that he slowed down a little bit and do things in a more down-to-earth way. During the suspension, he renovated the hotel and started writing about his experience in rural China.

Linden also led his team in building an adobe house that combines traditional and modern artistic elements with the aim of revitalizing adobe houses, which are rarely seen today, and increasing the appeal of rural tourism through promoting ethnic culture and rural lifestyles.

He believes that it’s necessary to strike a balance between development and environment, adding that human beings should learn from the selfless ox and respect nature and traditional culture, instead of placing itself above nature.

2021 is the year of the ox, the second sign in the Chinese zodiac cycle. “The ox has always been an important animal in China’s farming culture, signifying diligence, perfection and selflessness,” said Linden, adding that the soul of Chinese culture lies in rural China, and that the beautiful scenery, culture and connections between the people are what make China’s countryside so attractive.