Young talents return to hometown to boost local development in S China’s Guangdong

A tourist takes a photo outside a library in Zuobu village, Nanlang town, Zhongshan city, south China’s Guangdong province, July 14. (Photo/Xinhua)

A growing number of college graduates and young entrepreneurs are returning to their hometown of Zuobu village in south China’s Guangdong province to boost local development at the same time as realizing their dreams and self-value, as the country advances the rural vitalization drive.

Located in Nanlang town of Zhongshan city, Zuobu was once known as a "hollow village", as many of its residents went to find work in large cities, leaving behind only the elderly and children. Thanks to the favorable policies rolled out in recent years, more and more young talents are coming back, bringing new vitality to the village.

Feng Jianwei, 35, who had a white-collar job after graduating from college, returned to the village nine years ago and became a new type of farmer. Feng now plants over 160 mu (10.66 hectares) of rice, with a yield per mu of over 500 kilograms.

He also plants rice and breeds fish in the same fields and runs an agritainment business in the village, earning a total annual income of over 100,000 yuan (about $15,466).

Xu Jiajie, born after 1995, is another young talent who has pursued a career in the village. Xu returned from overseas and opened a library for local children in November 2019, which has also become a tourist attraction.

Xu’s idea to run a library came from his own childhood experience. Growing up in the village, Xu knew only too well how difficult it was for local children to get access a library, and therefore decided to open one for them.

Xu then opened up a reading room and a restaurant, and assisted Nanlang town in providing after-school tutoring services for local children.

“What I’m doing is not just a job. It also carries my hope of building Zuobu into a beautiful village,” said Xu.

Moreover, the village continues to be a magnet for those born after 2000. In June last year, Luo Jiahao, who graduated from South China Agricultural University, opened a café with his sister in the village. Thanks to the local government’s support for young entrepreneurs, the cost of running the café was much lower than in big cities. During the peak season for tourism, the café sold about 300 cups of coffee every day.

“We, the young entrepreneurs in the village, came up with many good ideas during our discussions. We always inspire each other,” said Luo.

But Luo and his sister aren’t satisfied with just making money. Both majored in graphic design, and have designed pamphlets about their hometown to make it known to more people.