Over the past five years, Yang Chenglan, a woman of the Dong ethnic group born after 1985 living deep in the mountains of southwest China’s Guizhou Province, has witnessed a surprising transformation in her business model from selling products to promoting a lifestyle.
"In the past, I mainly sold Dong fabrics and traditional clothing. Now, I invite people to the mountains to experience the local lifestyle," said Yang, who lives in Fengdeng Dong village, Zaima town, Rongjiang county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou. The shift, she explained, was driven by changing consumer preferences and market trends.
After seven years working away from home, Yang returned in 2016 to launch her own business. She revived traditional Dong textile and clothing techniques and began making fabrics and clothing with the help of local women skilled in weaving, embroidery, and dyeing. Her sales from Dong fabrics and clothing soon exceeded 1 million yuan (about $139,388) annually.
Yang Chenglan (middle) introduces tie-dye to tourists at a workshop in Fengdeng Dong village, Zaima town, Rongjiang county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, on July 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Linghao)
As her business grew, Yang established workshops for weaving, dyeing, and traditional clothing, drawing in students, tourists, and buyers. These hands-on classes priced from over 100 to several hundred yuan are very popular.
"Today’s consumers are after meaningful experiences. They come to immerse themselves in rural life, and leave with something to take home," Yang said. Her shift to "selling a lifestyle" has further driven sales, with annual revenue reaching 2 to 3 million yuan in recent years.
Traveling for sports events, performances, and folk experiences—these new blends of culture, sports, and tourism have surged across China in recent years.
In Guizhou, events like the "Village Basketball Association," or "Village BA," the "Village Super League," or "Cun Chao," "Village Songs" and "Village Horse Racing" have become major draws. Launched in Rongjiang county in 2023, the "Village Super League" attracted over 2.41 million tourist visits from Jan. 1 to May 5, 2025, up 11.77 percent year on year.
A performance of the Grand Song of the Dong ethnic group is staged during a "Village Super League," or "Cun Chao," in Rongjiang county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, on March 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)
"We came for the football game and culture, but also to experience the local way of life," said Wu Qilin, a tourist from Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province who has visited the "Village Super League" multiple times.
According to China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, rural China welcomed 707 million tourist visits in the first quarter of 2025, up 8.9 percent year on year. During the same period, the total revenue of rural tourism reached 412 billion yuan, an increase of 5.6 percent year on year. Behind the boom lies a growing yearning for the charm and simplicity of country life.
原文地址：http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0711/c90000-20338984.html