Villages in SE China's Fujian become magnets for youth, tourists

Photo shows a view of Siping village, Pingnan county, Ningde city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (People's Daily Online/Lan Zhifei)

Neat houses, small bridges and flowing creeks create a picturesque scene of traditional dwellings among green hills in Siping village, southeast China's Fujian Province. Tourists flock to this idyllic spot, seeking a taste of rural Chinese life.

The scene was starkly different seven years ago, said Pan Jia'en, deputy head of the Institute for Rural Revitalization Strategy at Southwest University in Chongqing Municipality.

Before promoting rural revitalization through cultural and creative industries in 2017, the village had fewer than 20 residents, most of them elderly, according to Pan, a native of Ningde city, where Siping is located.

Photo shows a view of Siping village, Pingnan county, Ningde city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (People's Daily Online/Lan Zhifei)

The turnaround began in 2017 when Pingnan county started attracting talent and renovating ancient dwellings to transform the nearly empty village. This strategy caught the eye of Pan and his team when they surveyed the village in 2020, inspiring him to dig deeper into the mechanics of rural revitalization and bring more new ideas and energy to the village.

"The beautiful landscape and rich cultural heritage here struck a chord with me. I'd like to stay and help further leverage rural history and culture to contribute my part to Pingnan county's rural revitalization," he said.

As a participant in the development of Siping, Pan has helped bring more resources, including capital and talent, to the village.

This summer, university students from across China flocked to Siping, contributing to the village's development under their teachers' guidance.

Photo shows a view of Siping village, Pingnan county, Ningde city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhong Qiaohua)

Today, in addition to "honorary villagers" and new residents, Siping has pioneered the concept of "online villagers," a network of supporters from far and wide who contribute ideas for the village's development, said Pan Jiaru, Party branch secretary of the village. With strong government support, these people have strengthened Siping's brand image.

"Our village has become more beautiful with more revenue, and villagers have fattened their wallets," Pan Jiaru said proudly.

Just 4 kilometers away from Siping, another success story is taking shape in Longtan village. Chen Zhongye, a "new farmer," has become an internet sensation with videos showcasing rural life.

Photo shows an aerial view of Longtan village, Pingnan county, Ningde city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (People's Daily Online/Li Weiyi)

Last year, Chen transformed his old house into a cultural and creative center. He started by designing local products, then expanded into milk tea, coffee and traditional lacquer fans.

Meanwhile, the local government has implemented policies to boost Longtan's development and attract more visitors.

Chen Xiaozhen, Party branch secretary of Longtan village, reflected on its transformation.

Seven years ago, Longtan was still a provincial-level poverty-stricken village, Chen said. But through consistent efforts and by creating opportunities for "new villagers,"  an environment where fresh ideas can flourish has been fostered, and the culture and tourism industries have thrived.