Across China: Life on canvas: Chinese "Cinderella" living in woods

FUZHOU, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Wearing a plain dress padded with a bustle and framed with a corset, Wang Xueqing sits by a blazing fireplace knitting a sweater with a poodle curled up beside her.

It has been two years and four months since the 36-year-old retreated to the remote village of Xindong in southeast China's coastal province of Fujian to lead a life imitating European oil paintings.

In an hour north of the city of Quanzhou, a winding road leads to her cottage in the woods. The blue walls are covered with ivy and the little garden is filled with flowers.

Wang has decorated her two-story home with ceramic pumpkins, rabbits, goblins and photos of herself dressed like the women depicted in 19th century European pastoral paintings.

Above the door of the cottage is a sign reading "Cinderella" in English.

Growing up illiterate in the Fujian fishing town of Hui'an, Wang never attended a day of school. She only began to study Chinese characters at age 19, while working at a factory in the south China metropolis of Shenzhen, the country's manufacturing center.

As the eldest daughter, she was sent to work at age six to help support her family. She spent hours shucking oysters, or threading shells on strings to be placed in the sea for oysters to grow on.

"Reading opened the door to an entirely new world for me, and for the first time, I realized life could be so beautiful. I devoured every book I could get my hands on, from traditional Chinese literature to Jane Austin novels," she said.

Later, she became enamored with the paintings of Jean-Francois Millet and Johannes Vermeer, and tried to recreate the costumes portrayed in their works.

"I was so fascinated by the tranquil life in rural Europe," said Wang, her eyes alight with excitement, "and I want to live the reclusive life portrayed by Austin or Millet."

She said her yearning for a simpler life grew during her years of tedious work on the assembly line. However, Wang did not make the move until she turned 34, when she was hurt by an unrequited love.

Heart-broken, she decided to retreat into the woods for "healing."

She found a deserted and dilapidated 100-year-old cottage, buried in a thick growth of weeds, and she decided to stay and renovate it.

Huang Liangshui, the village party chief, was astonished when Wang arrived in Xindong alone, asking to rent the deserted cottage.

With only 10,000 yuan (1,500 U.S. dollars) in her pocket, Wang began the renovations, done mostly by herself, from carrying building materials to woodworking.

Bit by bit, she repaired the leaking roof, built a sheep pen, and reclaimed a vegetable plot from the wasteland.

She also made costumes and took pictures of herself dressed like the women in world-famous paintings such as "Girl with a Pearl Earring," "The Milkmaid" and "The Gleaners."

Wang could often be seen posing in front of a camera, while carrying straw in her arms or standing beside a herd of cattle, which took her neighbors by surprise.

She lived in seclusion until a former colleague visited the cottage and shared some photos on the internet, which became an overnight sensation.

Curious visitors from all over the country arrived. Some became fans and stayed at the cottage, admiring it as a haven from the weariness of urban life.

However, Wang's lifestyle perplexed her fellow villagers. Many could not understand "why so many full-bellied have nothing better to do than visit a mentally-disordered person," as visitors asked them for the whereabouts of Cinderella's cottage.

Wang was happy to make friends with her fans.

"I soon realized I could make a living from my unorthodox lifestyle instead of washing dishes in restaurants," said Wang, "but I had to improve my service. So I tidied the house daily and made more costumes in various designs."

Brisk and eloquent, Wang has the charisma to attract and inspire followers. She now charges visitors 288 yuan to take photos wearing her costumes, and 200 yuan to spend the night in her cottage. She is glad the income supports her cherished lifestyle.

Yet Wang has become a controversial figure online, with some accusing her of creating "commercial hype" as what she claims to be a reclusive life turned out to be a business.

She does not care about the gossip. "I earn a living with hard work and skill. It's nothing to be ashamed of," she said.

Wang is now teaching herself English from smartphone apps. "I want to travel the world some day, especially to visit the Louvre and view the great paintings." Enditem