Podcasters explore hidden Xiapu

Making stories travel

For Zhang Erda and Shanshan, the trip is likely to become part of a future podcast episode.

Rather than simply recounting what they saw in Xiapu, they hope to use the journey as a starting point for broader discussions about travel, identity and the ways people connect with places.

"We usually focus on the thoughts and emotions of young people living in cities," Zhang Erda said. "A trip like this gives us an opportunity to connect personal experiences to larger themes that more people can relate to."

For Shanshan, podcasting is also rewarding for the host.

"Long conversations force you to be more honest. After talking for an hour, you can't really hide behind a version of yourself. You begin to understand yourself better, and listeners have time to think alongside you," she said.

According to Zhang Yanqiu, podcasts and other forms of "soft communication" can help local stories reach wider audiences. But turning those stories into effective international communication still requires precision, focus and continued exploration.

She said broader national narratives are ultimately built through specific, lived experiences rather than abstract concepts.

"When you travel and see different places, you begin to understand China in a more concrete way," she said.