KUNMING, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- Amid the serene countryside of southwest China's Yunnan Province, 79-year-old Qi Zhengzhong has noticed a recent resurgence of youth and activity in his community.
In recent years, the influx of young people returning to their roots, along with an increase in urban visitors, has transformed the landscape of many neighborhoods in rural China. This promising shift is attributed in large part to the rising trend of Chinese urbanites seeking rural sojourns.
Qi's home, a refurbished traditional house now brimming with succulents, has become a green oasis. His grandson and granddaughter-in-law have opened a pastoral restaurant, serving both locals and travelers from all over the country.
"I used to only speak dialect when I went out, but now I need to learn some Mandarin," said the elderly man.
Tuguachong Village, just 5 kilometers from the nearest county seat and less than 20 kilometers from the center of the city of Qujing, boasts a prime location. However, the convenience of moving to the city for work had led many young locals to range farther, leaving over 120 old houses vacant and turning the village into a "hollow" one.
This year, Malong County introduced companies like Yunnan Ruogu Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd., to revamp the village's empty housing. The government pooled funds to improve local public infrastructure, while the village collective rented and renovated the houses, and the companies took care of interior decoration and operation management.
Under such a cooperation pattern, the company has upgraded 77 old, vacant houses in Tuguachong, including 37 for accommodation and 40 for business use. "We aimed to maintain the village's overall style, preserve their nostalgia, and enhance the convenience and comfort of living," said Zhong Peng, head of Yunnan Ruogu Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd.
From the very early stage of the rural renovation project, they have positioned the village as a leisure destination to attract long-term tourists looking for a migratory lifestyle in the countryside.
Rural sojourns have become a trendy tourism option among urban dwellers, integrating living, leisure, vacation and recuperation, while injecting new vitality into China's countryside.
Tuguachong has seen old houses rejuvenated, while modern businesses like bookstores, coffee shops and art spaces have been added. Since early summer this year, travelers from other provincial-level regions, including Hunan, Chongqing, Heilongjiang and Guangdong, have started renting homes in the village, some with leases of up to a decade.
"The tranquility away from the big city's hustle and bustle and the pastoral atmosphere are what I love most," said Zhou Dazheng, a traveler from central China's Hunan Province who has opted to settle here for a while, as a break from the city. She particularly enjoys cooking with a view of the rice fields and flowers just outside the kitchen.
Many young people who once left for work have returned to start businesses, injecting some bustle and life into the once-quiet village, according to Zhang Zhengbing, head of the Tuguachong Community.
In Zhonghe Village, in Yunnan's city of Dali, more than 1,000 new residents have arrived thanks to their migratory lifestyle, surpassing the original 600 villagers. Of the newcomers, more than 100 people are well-known artists from across China.
Since 2015, the village has integrated and revitalized idle old houses, preserving traditional styles while incorporating art and intangible cultural heritage elements. It has opened 56 courtyards to artists nationwide, gradually attracting thousands of travelers to "settle down."
Meanwhile, 35 inns, five catering businesses, five travel photography companies, one training school and one animation studio have set up in Zhonghe, turning it into a renowned "art village," said Du Wu, head of the Zhonghe Community.
A report released by the China Tourism Academy in August showed that some 13 percent of such migratory travelers in China identify the countryside as their preferred destination.
With the deepening of rural revitalization, the transportation, public facilities and supporting services in China's rural areas have significantly improved, meeting the needs of the sojourn travelers for a quality and convenient lifestyle, said Meng Rui, head of the tourism academy's Kunming branch.
Coupled with the relaxing pace of rural life, which is highly attractive to urban populations, the rural sojourn tourism sector is expected to signal a new direction for rural tourism and construction, Meng added. ■