Rural area shining example of development
A photo shows two boats parked outside a restaurant in Hengshanwu village of Anji county, Zhejiang province, on June 5, 2023. [Photo by Zhang Wei/For chinadaily.com.cn]
An architect in Zhejiang province wanted to breathe new life into his almost deserted hometown - Hengshanwu village. This desire is what led him to decide to turn his village into a homestay resort.
"I am a returnee, and people here call me village chief," Chen Gu told a group of visitors as he showed them around his brainchild Villa &Resort, a cluster of homestays, cafes and nightclubs tucked away in the rugged mountains of Anji county.
The 52-year-old pointed to an outdoor billboard illustrating the project. It carried a selection of photos reminiscent of the village's past: muddy dirt roads, garbage pileups, stinky waterways and bare hilltops due to mining activities from more than 20 years ago.
"It was once a 'hollowed village'," he said, referring to the exodus of younger people that has beset many rural communities across China.
"When I took over the village in 2012, just a few older residents were left."
Despite the downsides, the village resides at a place that is within three hours' drive from most major cities in Zhejiang, as well as in its neighbors Jiangsu province and Shanghai. The newly built highways and tunnels as part of a province-wide campaign to foster urban-rural equalities in recent decades make travel possible.
Related articles
Nadal returns to Roland Garros to practice amid doubts over fitness and form
PARIS (AP) — Rafael Nadal returned to Roland Garros on Monday to practice and try and figure out whe2024-05-21Meet the 'AIRLINE nepo baby': 23
When your parent works for an airline, jetsetting around the world comes easy, as one self-confessed2024-05-21The world's quirkiest themed cruises revealed, from a nude cruise to a voyage for cat
Thought cruises were over the top? You haven't seen anything yet. These themed voyages will open you2024-05-21Fascinating map reveals the WORST reviewed three
These fancy, highly-acclaimed restaurants have certainly left a bad taste with some customers.DailyM2024-05-21OpenAI pauses ChatGPT voice after Scarlett Johansson comparisons
NEW YORK (AP) — OpenAI says it plans to halt the use of one of its ChatGPT voices after some users s2024-05-21Forget cat cafes: This coffee shop in Tokyo lets customers enjoy a cuppa while petting a capybara
Rodents generally get bad press - but they are the stars of the show at this quirky cafe in Tokyo. C2024-05-21
atest comment