Villages hit their goals

Ye Chaohuai opened a homestay in July 2022, and the average room occupancy rate has remained above 50 percent ever since.

"During holidays, it can reach up to 80 percent," Ye says.

"You don't have to worry about guests, running a homestay in Yucun, as long as you offer good service and build a good reputation," Ye adds.

In July 2021, Yucun launched the global partners program to invite young talent to jointly work on research-based education, rural tourism, cultural creativity, agriculture and forestry industry, digital economy, green finance, zero-carbon technology, and healthcare.

Chen Zhe is among many who answered the call. He has opened a rural comic-themed creative shop in the village's library, which is located in a former cement factory.

His shop also sells coffee, and is decorated with classic characters created by the Shanghai Animation Film Studio.

He says that he hopes to combine Chinese animation with the idyllic countryside, exploring more opportunities to empower the rural community. More than 260 cultural events are hosted in the village every year.

Recently, local authorities have proposed to build a grand Yucun ecological cultural circle that will cover 24 villages in Anji county.

The idea is to continue broadening the pathway for rural vitalization and extending more development benefits to the villagers, according to the authorities.