From hidden hamlet to scenic haven: Eastern Chinese village reinvents itself via tourism

A bamboo raft slipped quietly from a stone dock as the mist rose over the Huishui River – a tributary of the Qingyi River, which in turn is a tributary of the Yangtze River – one June morning in 2025. Forested hills framed the serene waterway, where 73-year-old Wu, a lifelong resident of Pingyuan village, Xuancheng city, Anhui province – a small hamlet in eastern China that borders the Huishui – calmly steered tourists downstream. Behind him, they settled in for a journey through Pingyuan’s Hidden Realm Scenic Area – a swath of land and stretch of the river featuring wetlands, forests, tea plantations, rice farms, and waters that meet international sporting standards – eager to explore the attractions that exist in it.

What was once an isolated mountain hamlet has been awakening – like a living ink-wash painting scroll -- into a destination of serene charm and rural vitality.

Rural vitalization with a scenic twist

Pingyuan was once economically stagnant and physically cut off by the steep terrain that exists in the area – a narrow mountain path that was barely a meter wide served as the village’s only connection to the outside world. Locals survived by growing tea and bamboo and collecting bark and used rafts to transport goods and supplies up and down the Huishui.

Things started to change when the power of rural tourism began to reshape Pingyuan’s future. Local authorities, recognizing both the limitations and potential of the village, invested in upgrading the infrastructure in the area. Roads were widened, and Pingyuan was reimagined as an immersive tourism destination. Leveraging its karst landscapes and forest scenery, the village harnessed farming, ecology, outdoor activities, and leisure and combined them into a unified experience. Attractions such as rowing events, campgrounds, forest parks, and scenic hiking trails are now available, all of which are located on or along the Huishui.

Today, Wu and other former subsistence farmers have been taking on new roles welcoming travelers, and the village has become a model of rural vitalization thanks to the sustainable tourism initiative that was implemented, which is centered around Pingyuan’s Hidden Realm Scenic Area.

“Now I can earn an extra 3,500 yuan (US$488) a month as a raft guide in my village on top of farming,” Wu stated.

The transformation that has occurred has vitalized the local economy. In 2024 alone, tourism created over 30 new jobs. Engagement in endeavors such as homestay operations and boating services has made it possible for average household income to rise to 10,000 yuan (US$1,393) annually – no small feat for a formerly forgotten village.

From ‘sleeping beauty’ to tourist magnet

Housing that had been sitting idle in Pingyuan now operates as charming homestay accommodations. As of June 2025, annual income associated with its village collective exceeded 1 million yuan (US$139,300) – a dramatic increase from just tens of thousands in previous years.

With well-equipped facilities and a blend of rustic charm and modern comfort, Pingyuan is fast becoming an appreciated rural retreat.

“It’s like stepping into a traditional Chinese painting,” Mr. Zhang, a tourist from neighboring Jiangsu Province, remarked.

Water sports such as rafting, kayaking, and paddle boarding as well as running and other outdoor sports and activities are also being pursued in the village. Zhang planned on trying rafting, tea-picking, and wood-fire cooking with his children, who were traveling with him.

The village’s resurgence has even been causing some of the people who lived in it in the past but had been working in other areas to return. Zuo Zhenguo, 45, is an example of one of the people in this category. He had lived and worked in Shanghai for years but noticed the new roads that existed, steady stream of tourists that were arriving, and new opportunities that were available when he returned home for the 2024 Chinese New Year holiday, which ran from Feb. 10 to Feb. 24. The visit inspired him to relocate back to Pingyuan and open a rural homestay, and the business brought in over 400,000 yuan (US$55,720) of revenue in its first year.

“I can earn good income and be with my family, which is the best of both worlds,” he shared.

As night began to fall, the last raft returned to the dock and the Huishui lapped gently against the stones that line its shore. Pingyuan has awakened from its long slumber – not through rapid industrialization but rather by embracing its natural charm.

“We’re using Pingyuan as a blueprint,” Xia Guangtian, Party secretary of Huangcun, mentioned. “We aim to help more villages in the area harness their unique beauty and become more livable by integrating tourism with culture and agriculture as well as sports and other outdoor activities.”