Villages in Shaanxi gain vitality, empowered by creative entrepreneurs

It's been nearly two years since Wang Huiting opened her café in Liyukou, a small village about 40 minutes' drive from Xi'an, the provincial capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. She has been a lot busier than expected, but she feels fulfilled.

"I enjoy the pastoral life here," said Wang. "The natural environment is great. I live in a small courtyard house and don't have to compete with others for elevators every day. Plus, I get along well with local villagers, just like a family."

A dream life

Many people wouldn't expect to find such a big and specially designed café in this once impoverished remote village before coming across the one established by Wang in 2022. They might be even more surprised after learning about Wang's experiences – she graduated from Nottingham University as a master of architecture and urban design, and then got her PhD at a university in Xi'an.

"I think what I'm doing now is more meaningful than designing a large project in the city," Wang told CGTN. "People's values are getting more diversified today."

The café, called "Two Tree," was transformed from a deserted factory. The name is homophonic to the Chinese word "tuchui," which is used in the local dialect to describe someone with old-fashioned lifestyle or ideas.

"Self-mockery is a kind of culture, which actually reflects the confidence of the younger generations," Wang explained, noting that it's also a special way to promote the brand.

What makes it special is far more than this. The food and beverages served here also often impress the visitors. For example, one type of latte integrates local grapes, and a popular spaghetti is cooked in the same way as a famed local noodle.

"This is our basic operation philosophy – combining local and foreign and blending Chinese with Western," said Wang.

The café has become one of the most popular in Xi'an. Wang estimates that it welcomed approximately 100,000 visitors last year.

"The revenue probably equals to that of a shop of Luckin," she said, referring to China's largest coffee chain.

A cluster of new businesses

In fact, Wang is not the only "new villager" here, as she calls herself. Over the past year, Liyukou has attracted more people with creative minds to launch businesses here.

Next to "Two Tree" is a tea house with various motorcycles on display. Founder Wang Bing, a motorcycle collector, believes that tea drinking can be a fashionable lifestyle. Meanwhile, a pet paradise is under decoration and will open shortly.

To seek collaborative development, the "outsiders" have formed an alliance known as "Jianya Village," which literally means a place to go to relax.

"We are not coming here as a group of urban cultural elites and interfering in local villagers' lives with a condescending attitude. We are completely against this approach," said Wang. "Instead, we are trying to work with them and explore for possibilities."

Wang Lijun, party secretary of the village, said his hometown is developing at a pace faster than he expected.

"In the beginning, I didn't think it's a good idea to run a coffee shop, as nobody here drinks coffee," he said, noting that the village now presents a vigor and vitality that hadn't been seen for many years.

"In 2018, the per capita income was around 7,600 yuan ($1,047), which grew to 23,895 yuan ($3,290) last year," said the party chief, attributing this largely to tourism development.

Meanwhile, the businesses have created a growing number of job opportunities for locals. Zhao Weina used to work at the assembly line of a car factory, and is now a barista at Two Tree, something he had never expected to be engaged in.

"At first, I knew nothing about coffee. Then my Boss sent me to downtown Xi'an to learn professional knowledge," said Zhao. "I can take care of my family by working here, and it brings me a good salary."

A promising future

Behind the changes taking place in the small village is the local government's effort to seek transformation in rural areas.

In 2018, Xi'an's Huyi District government, in collaboration with Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts, initiated an arts festival in neighboring Caijiapo Village. During the months-long event, various exhibitions, theaters, and local art forms such as Qinqiang and shadow puppet plays were staged.

The Guanzhong Mangba Arts Festival, with its sixth edition taking place this year, has attracted a number of art lovers over the years, catalyzing the tourism of the region. Walking through the village, you can easily spot various modern art pieces and cultural spaces. This in turn has attracted more people to start businesses in the region.

This is an emerging trend nationwide. For decades, young people in rural areas opted to venture to the big cities for better employment opportunities, leaving seniors and children behind. Today, as the country advances its rural revitalization drive, historically underprivileged areas promise more opportunities beyond traditional farming.

Now, the Huyi District government has set up several service centers to provide support for entrepreneurs who want to invest in the various programs here.

"Next, we'll make full use of the idle resources in the village to draw more young talents here," said Wang Lijun. "We'll also try our best to serve them well."

Wang Huiting told CGTN that under the local government's efforts, the village will soon become a destination for "digital nomads."

"These 'digital nomads' might come from different parts of the world. They will interact with local villagers and new villagers like us in various interesting ways, thus bringing about more changes," she said.

CGTN's Wang Kai also contributed to this report.