{"id":23717,"date":"2026-07-26T15:40:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T15:40:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/chickens-chairman-mao-and-spiced-tea-with-the-neighbours-welcome-to-the-real-china\/"},"modified":"2026-07-26T15:40:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T15:40:19","slug":"chickens-chairman-mao-and-spiced-tea-with-the-neighbours-welcome-to-the-real-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/chickens-chairman-mao-and-spiced-tea-with-the-neighbours-welcome-to-the-real-china\/","title":{"rendered":"Chickens, Chairman Mao and spiced tea with the neighbours: Welcome to \u2018the real China\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div data-testid=\"ad-sticky-container\" class=\"sc-37562b78-0 iLENDS\">\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"sc-54c4a04e-0 evuabm adWrapper noPrint sc-1c01c11e-0 jLbRED\" data-testid=\"ad\"><small class=\"sc-54c4a04e-2 dhgkTF\">Advertisement<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<header class=\"sc-ad76bc40-0 fNDZoQ\">\n<div class=\"sc-5cbbddda-0 hjlPcO\">\n<div data-testid=\"article-author\" class=\"sc-5cbbddda-1 hPBdKJ\" readability=\"6.3662790697674\">\n<div readability=\"8.4883720930233\">\n<p data-testid=\"article-datetime\" class=\"sc-5cbbddda-5 hxoHkT\"><span class=\"sc-a243f860-0 gjmXPs\">Updated <time data-testid=\"storytile-timestamp\" datetime=\"2026-07-26T16:07:40+10:00\">July 26, 2026<!-- --> &mdash; 4:07pm<\/time>,<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\" data-testid=\"wbr-separator\" class=\"sc-a243f860-1 jIzAbi\"><\/span><span class=\"sc-a243f860-0 gjmXPs\">first published <time data-testid=\"storytile-timestamp\" datetime=\"2026-07-26T09:45:00+10:00\">July 26, 2026<!-- --> &mdash; 9:45am<\/time><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-7132c98c-0 efdRpd noPrint\" data-testid=\"article-actions\">\n<div class=\"sc-7132c98c-1 iddmiW\">\n<div class=\"sc-f9e3ccff-0 kbEYga\" readability=\"6.3137254901961\"><button aria-checked=\"false\" aria-label=\"Save article to read later\" role=\"switch\" type=\"button\" class=\"sc-f9e3ccff-1 kmQlMe\"><svg fill=\"none\" height=\"24\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"24\" class=\"sc-d1b14060-0 TUyao\"><path d=\"M5.75 4C5.75 3.86193 5.86193 3.75 6 3.75H18C18.1381 3.75 18.25 3.86193 18.25 4L18.25 19.7709L12.8004 16.9682C12.2981 16.7099 11.7019 16.7099 11.1996 16.9682L5.75 19.7709L5.75 4Z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"sc-f9e3ccff-2 gaKrMl\">Save<\/span><\/button>\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"sc-ba6ddcd9-0 kskMyR sc-d1b14060-3 cpmcTK\" role=\"tooltip\" readability=\"8.0816326530612\">\n<p class=\"sc-d1b14060-4 JmUoF\">You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n<p>Remove items from your saved list to add more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><button aria-label=\"Set font size to normal\" aria-pressed=\"true\" class=\"sc-f7fd8257-1 yiNod\">A<\/button><button aria-label=\"Set font size to larger\" aria-pressed=\"false\" class=\"sc-f7fd8257-1 frqtnv\">A<\/button><button aria-label=\"Set font size to very large\" aria-pressed=\"false\" class=\"sc-f7fd8257-1 frqrHP\">A<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<aside class=\"sc-6f94ac39-6 esmrVF\"><\/aside>\n<div class=\"sc-c502198b-0 NkURW\" readability=\"23.033333333333\">\n<p><b><strong><em>What in the World, a free weekly newsletter from our foreign correspondents, is sent every Thursday. Below is an excerpt. <b><i> <\/i><\/b><i>Sign up to get the whole newsletter delivered to your inbox<\/i><b><i>.<\/i><\/b><\/em><em><\/em><\/strong> <\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Xingming village, China: <\/b>Perched atop a hill in a small village in central China, Li Zhiying&rsquo;s family guesthouse has a spectacular view.<\/p>\n<div class=\"internal-linking-related-contents\"><a href=\"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/12-weeks-jail-for-school-it-support-technician-who-took-upskirt-videos-of-teachers\/\" class=\"template-1\"><span class=\"cta\">News :<\/span><span class=\"postTitle\">&lt;div&gt;12 weeks' jail for school IT support technician who took upskirt videos of teachers&lt;\/div&gt;<\/span><\/a><\/div><p>Just beyond the front door is a vista of a pristine reservoir, ringed by pine forests and framed by mountain ranges flossed with low-hanging clouds.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"sc-4820f69c-1 ZrhPA\"><button aria-label=\"enlarge image\" type=\"button\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-5 dyWwUw\">\n<div class=\"sc-d34e428-0 ikzfwY\"><picture><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.608%2C$multiply_0.9841%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_82%2C$y_143\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/f191866919452cbb670f127ab151ebcefafc7fcc04b5426ab791e2468bd0a88a, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.608%2C$multiply_1.9683%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_82%2C$y_143\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/f191866919452cbb670f127ab151ebcefafc7fcc04b5426ab791e2468bd0a88a 2x\"><source media=\"(min-width: 750px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.608%2C$multiply_1.0159%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_82%2C$y_143\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/f191866919452cbb670f127ab151ebcefafc7fcc04b5426ab791e2468bd0a88a, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.608%2C$multiply_2.0317%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_82%2C$y_143\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/f191866919452cbb670f127ab151ebcefafc7fcc04b5426ab791e2468bd0a88a 2x\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Li Zhiying grew up in poverty&nbsp;in Hunan province in central China and later returned to his hometown to open a guesthouse.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/%24zoom_0.608,%24multiply_0.7725,%24ratio_1.5,%24width_756,%24x_82,%24y_143\/t_crop_custom\/q_86,f_auto\/f191866919452cbb670f127ab151ebcefafc7fcc04b5426ab791e2468bd0a88a\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.608%2C$multiply_0.7725%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_82%2C$y_143\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/f191866919452cbb670f127ab151ebcefafc7fcc04b5426ab791e2468bd0a88a, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.608%2C$multiply_1.545%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_82%2C$y_143\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/f191866919452cbb670f127ab151ebcefafc7fcc04b5426ab791e2468bd0a88a 2x\" class=\"sc-d34e428-1 ldCIuB\"><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><svg viewbox=\"0 0 38 38\" height=\"38px\" width=\"38px\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-4 iMiYlW\"><g stroke=\"#F4F5F7\" stroke-width=\"2\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" transform=\"matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 22.029383, 7.619553)\"><path d=\"M1 8l6.36396103-6.36396103M8 7V1H2\"><\/path><\/g><g stroke=\"#F4F5F7\" stroke-width=\"2\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" transform=\"matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 7.0731, 21.523087)\"><path d=\"M8 1L1.63603897 7.36396103M1 2v6h6\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/p><\/button><figcaption data-testid=\"figure-caption\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-0 SuAZY\"><span>Li Zhiying grew up in poverty&nbsp;in Hunan province in central China and later returned to his hometown to open a guesthouse.<\/span><cite class=\"sc-4820f69c-2 jfXEoI\"><span class=\"sc-4820f69c-3 jfhtQZ\">Lisa Visentin<\/span><\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Along the cul-de-sac that winds past his house, Li&rsquo;s neighbours tend crops of beans, chillies, pumpkin and corn in small plots near their homes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"sc-54c4a04e-0 yKpxh adWrapper noPrint sc-6f94ac39-3 fDyKLW\" data-testid=\"ad\"><small class=\"sc-54c4a04e-2 dhgkTF\">Advertisement<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-c502198b-0 NkURW\" readability=\"20\">\n<p>Village dogs bark and scrap in the street and chickens roam freely. By the roadside, an elderly man is picking the Sichuan peppercorns that will spice the tea and tingle the tongues of neighbours who will pop by in the evening for a daily ritual of gossip and card-playing.<\/p>\n<p>I&rsquo;ve come to Li&rsquo;s hometown of Xingming in China&rsquo;s central Hunan province to spend three days exploring a different side of the modern China story that frequently makes headlines. The ordinariness of rural life.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"sc-4820f69c-1 ZrhPA\"><button aria-label=\"enlarge image\" type=\"button\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-5 dyWwUw\">\n<div class=\"sc-d34e428-0 ikzfwY\"><picture><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_0.9841%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/933937f196d1e6089a24e9c95252b0cc68793db6db39b384ab8c96c6f30c1c7c, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_1.9683%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/933937f196d1e6089a24e9c95252b0cc68793db6db39b384ab8c96c6f30c1c7c 2x\"><source media=\"(min-width: 750px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_1.0159%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/933937f196d1e6089a24e9c95252b0cc68793db6db39b384ab8c96c6f30c1c7c, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_2.0317%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/933937f196d1e6089a24e9c95252b0cc68793db6db39b384ab8c96c6f30c1c7c 2x\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Xingming village, in Hunan Province, central China.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/%24zoom_0.473,%24multiply_0.7725,%24ratio_1.5,%24width_756,%24x_0,%24y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86,f_auto\/933937f196d1e6089a24e9c95252b0cc68793db6db39b384ab8c96c6f30c1c7c\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_0.7725%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/933937f196d1e6089a24e9c95252b0cc68793db6db39b384ab8c96c6f30c1c7c, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_1.545%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/933937f196d1e6089a24e9c95252b0cc68793db6db39b384ab8c96c6f30c1c7c 2x\" class=\"sc-d34e428-1 ldCIuB\"><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><svg viewbox=\"0 0 38 38\" height=\"38px\" width=\"38px\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-4 iMiYlW\"><g stroke=\"#F4F5F7\" stroke-width=\"2\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" transform=\"matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 22.029383, 7.619553)\"><path d=\"M1 8l6.36396103-6.36396103M8 7V1H2\"><\/path><\/g><g stroke=\"#F4F5F7\" stroke-width=\"2\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" transform=\"matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 7.0731, 21.523087)\"><path d=\"M8 1L1.63603897 7.36396103M1 2v6h6\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/p><\/button><figcaption data-testid=\"figure-caption\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-0 SuAZY\"><span>Xingming village, in Hunan Province, central China.<\/span><cite class=\"sc-4820f69c-2 jfXEoI\"><span class=\"sc-4820f69c-3 jfhtQZ\">Lisa Visentin<\/span><\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"internal-linking-related-contents\"><a href=\"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/migrant-acquitted-in-first-trial-over-us-border-military-zones\/\" class=\"template-1\"><span class=\"cta\">News :<\/span><span class=\"postTitle\">Migrant acquitted in first trial over US border military zones<\/span><\/a><\/div><p>A snapshot of the so-called &ldquo;real China&rdquo; that&rsquo;s more representative of everyday life for millions of Chinese people than dancing robots, drone light shows and the breakneck speed of AI development that is reshaping tech hubs in Beijing, Shenzhen and Hangzhou.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"sc-54c4a04e-0 yKpxh adWrapper noPrint sc-6f94ac39-3 fDyKLW\" data-testid=\"ad\"><small class=\"sc-54c4a04e-2 dhgkTF\">Advertisement<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-c502198b-0 NkURW\" readability=\"29\">\n<p>The evening I arrive, we wander down the street to the home of the retired village party secretary, a local Communist Party official, whose wife is serving slices of watermelon and tea in plastic cups to any neighbour who stops for a chat.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"sc-4820f69c-1 jtDZiB\"><button aria-label=\"enlarge image\" type=\"button\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-5 dyWwUw\">\n<div class=\"sc-d34e428-0 ikzfwY\"><picture><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.354%2C$multiply_1.2063%2C$ratio_0.666667%2C$width_378%2C$x_22%2C$y_0\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/78c1a416839ee69309eb91966d3bb1bc44f9d3b6, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.354%2C$multiply_2.4127%2C$ratio_0.666667%2C$width_378%2C$x_22%2C$y_0\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/78c1a416839ee69309eb91966d3bb1bc44f9d3b6 2x\"><source media=\"(min-width: 750px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.354%2C$multiply_1.1587%2C$ratio_0.666667%2C$width_378%2C$x_22%2C$y_0\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/78c1a416839ee69309eb91966d3bb1bc44f9d3b6, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.354%2C$multiply_2.3175%2C$ratio_0.666667%2C$width_378%2C$x_22%2C$y_0\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/78c1a416839ee69309eb91966d3bb1bc44f9d3b6 2x\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Neighbours pop by in the evening for a daily ritual of gossip and card-playing.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/%24zoom_0.354,%24multiply_1.545,%24ratio_0.666667,%24width_378,%24x_22,%24y_0\/t_crop_custom\/q_86,f_auto\/78c1a416839ee69309eb91966d3bb1bc44f9d3b6\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.354%2C$multiply_1.545%2C$ratio_0.666667%2C$width_378%2C$x_22%2C$y_0\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/78c1a416839ee69309eb91966d3bb1bc44f9d3b6, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.354%2C$multiply_3.0899%2C$ratio_0.666667%2C$width_378%2C$x_22%2C$y_0\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/78c1a416839ee69309eb91966d3bb1bc44f9d3b6 2x\" class=\"sc-d34e428-1 bRhmzR\"><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><svg viewbox=\"0 0 38 38\" height=\"38px\" width=\"38px\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-4 iMiYlW\"><g stroke=\"#F4F5F7\" stroke-width=\"2\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" transform=\"matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 22.029383, 7.619553)\"><path d=\"M1 8l6.36396103-6.36396103M8 7V1H2\"><\/path><\/g><g stroke=\"#F4F5F7\" stroke-width=\"2\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" transform=\"matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 7.0731, 21.523087)\"><path d=\"M8 1L1.63603897 7.36396103M1 2v6h6\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/p><\/button><figcaption data-testid=\"figure-caption\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-0 SuAZY\"><span>Neighbours pop by in the evening for a daily ritual of gossip and card-playing.<\/span><cite class=\"sc-4820f69c-2 jfXEoI\"><span class=\"sc-4820f69c-3 jfhtQZ\">Lisa Visentin<\/span><\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;Hello Australia, welcome, please enjoy our village,&rdquo; one elder tells me, using a translation app.<\/p>\n<p>This is Chairman Mao country, where portraits of China&rsquo;s former supreme leader hang in the homes of older villagers, his reputation unspoiled by history&rsquo;s verdict &ndash; in the West at least &ndash; of the calamity caused by the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Mao is like a god to us,&rdquo; a local party cadre from the neighbouring province tells me over lunch at the guesthouse. &ldquo;He understood the ordinary people.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"sc-54c4a04e-0 yKpxh adWrapper noPrint sc-6f94ac39-3 fDyKLW\" data-testid=\"ad\"><small class=\"sc-54c4a04e-2 dhgkTF\">Advertisement<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-c502198b-0 NkURW\" readability=\"23\">\n<p>The nearest market is 5 kilometres away in a small, unremarkable township, where everyone is curious about the visiting foreigner (me). There&rsquo;s plenty of pointing and waving and lots of smiles.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Never!&rdquo; an old villager running a pork stall responds when I ask how often foreigners come to the market.<\/p>\n<p>Nearby, a man is loading hunks of fresh meat into the boot of his car lined with just a piece of cardboard.<\/p>\n<p>Another vendor is selling a freshly slaughtered whole dog, its fur shaved off but skin intact. It&rsquo;s a confronting sight for the uninitiated, though Li tells me he has never seen dog meat for sale here before.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"sc-54c4a04e-0 yKpxh adWrapper noPrint sc-6f94ac39-3 fDyKLW\" data-testid=\"ad\"><small class=\"sc-54c4a04e-2 dhgkTF\">Advertisement<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-c502198b-0 NkURW\" readability=\"28\">\n<p>By his own admission, Li forewarns would-be guests that his home is located in a remote rural village that most Chinese people have never heard of. There&rsquo;s no tourist infrastructure, and quotidian village life is slow-paced and perhaps even boring.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If you are looking for a comfortable, easy introduction to China, this may not be the place,&rdquo; he says on the guesthouse website.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"sc-4820f69c-1 ZrhPA\"><button aria-label=\"enlarge image\" type=\"button\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-5 dyWwUw\">\n<div class=\"sc-d34e428-0 ikzfwY\"><picture><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_0.9841%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/1d12a6bbf01fcb1ef47c0c79e494918255505c003baed0bcf177024d3eef66ef, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_1.9683%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/1d12a6bbf01fcb1ef47c0c79e494918255505c003baed0bcf177024d3eef66ef 2x\"><source media=\"(min-width: 750px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_1.0159%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/1d12a6bbf01fcb1ef47c0c79e494918255505c003baed0bcf177024d3eef66ef, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_2.0317%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/1d12a6bbf01fcb1ef47c0c79e494918255505c003baed0bcf177024d3eef66ef 2x\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Li Zhiying and his friend, Li Mi, paddling on the reservoir that sustains the local village.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/%24zoom_0.473,%24multiply_0.7725,%24ratio_1.5,%24width_756,%24x_0,%24y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86,f_auto\/1d12a6bbf01fcb1ef47c0c79e494918255505c003baed0bcf177024d3eef66ef\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_0.7725%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/1d12a6bbf01fcb1ef47c0c79e494918255505c003baed0bcf177024d3eef66ef, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_1.545%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/1d12a6bbf01fcb1ef47c0c79e494918255505c003baed0bcf177024d3eef66ef 2x\" class=\"sc-d34e428-1 ldCIuB\"><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><svg viewbox=\"0 0 38 38\" height=\"38px\" width=\"38px\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-4 iMiYlW\"><g stroke=\"#F4F5F7\" stroke-width=\"2\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" transform=\"matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 22.029383, 7.619553)\"><path d=\"M1 8l6.36396103-6.36396103M8 7V1H2\"><\/path><\/g><g stroke=\"#F4F5F7\" stroke-width=\"2\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" transform=\"matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 7.0731, 21.523087)\"><path d=\"M8 1L1.63603897 7.36396103M1 2v6h6\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/p><\/button><figcaption data-testid=\"figure-caption\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-0 SuAZY\"><span>Li Zhiying and his friend, Li Mi, paddling on the reservoir that sustains the local village.<\/span><cite class=\"sc-4820f69c-2 jfXEoI\"><span class=\"sc-4820f69c-3 jfhtQZ\">Lisa Visentin<\/span><\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>But he believes visitors will be charmed by the warmth and authenticity of the locals, and the unrefined beauty of the Chinese countryside.<\/p>\n<p>For the most part, this is not the side of China that has bedazzled the wave of influencers who have arrived under the government&rsquo;s soft-power masterstroke of visa-free travel, which has now been extended to more than 70 countries, Australia included.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"sc-54c4a04e-0 yKpxh adWrapper noPrint sc-6f94ac39-3 fDyKLW\" data-testid=\"ad\"><small class=\"sc-54c4a04e-2 dhgkTF\">Advertisement<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-c502198b-0 NkURW\" readability=\"36\">\n<p>They have flooded Instagram and TikTok with effusive videos about China&rsquo;s smartphone-powered megacities, with a cashless economy, gleaming skyscrapers, robots that deliver food to the hotel door, and futuristic electric vehicles that cruise silently around clean streets.<\/p>\n<p>The comparison is stark. There&rsquo;s little tangible wealth in villages such as Xingming, but community bonds are strong. People eat what they grow, or fish from the reservoir, and share what they have with their neighbours.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"sc-4820f69c-1 ZrhPA\"><button aria-label=\"enlarge image\" type=\"button\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-5 dyWwUw\">\n<div class=\"sc-d34e428-0 ikzfwY\"><picture><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_0.9841%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/6154b14810d4accfb2bbc82aa161fcb4ca00e6c795edb3935b69423777495816, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_1.9683%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/6154b14810d4accfb2bbc82aa161fcb4ca00e6c795edb3935b69423777495816 2x\"><source media=\"(min-width: 750px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_1.0159%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/6154b14810d4accfb2bbc82aa161fcb4ca00e6c795edb3935b69423777495816, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_2.0317%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/6154b14810d4accfb2bbc82aa161fcb4ca00e6c795edb3935b69423777495816 2x\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Villagers fish from the reservoir.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/%24zoom_0.473,%24multiply_0.7725,%24ratio_1.5,%24width_756,%24x_0,%24y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86,f_auto\/6154b14810d4accfb2bbc82aa161fcb4ca00e6c795edb3935b69423777495816\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_0.7725%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/6154b14810d4accfb2bbc82aa161fcb4ca00e6c795edb3935b69423777495816, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_1.545%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/6154b14810d4accfb2bbc82aa161fcb4ca00e6c795edb3935b69423777495816 2x\" class=\"sc-d34e428-1 ldCIuB\"><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><svg viewbox=\"0 0 38 38\" height=\"38px\" width=\"38px\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-4 iMiYlW\"><g stroke=\"#F4F5F7\" stroke-width=\"2\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" transform=\"matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 22.029383, 7.619553)\"><path d=\"M1 8l6.36396103-6.36396103M8 7V1H2\"><\/path><\/g><g stroke=\"#F4F5F7\" stroke-width=\"2\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" transform=\"matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 7.0731, 21.523087)\"><path d=\"M8 1L1.63603897 7.36396103M1 2v6h6\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/p><\/button><figcaption data-testid=\"figure-caption\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-0 SuAZY\"><span>Villagers fish from the reservoir.<\/span><cite class=\"sc-4820f69c-2 jfXEoI\"><span class=\"sc-4820f69c-3 jfhtQZ\">Lisa Visentin<\/span><\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Some of the older generation speak patchy Mandarin, preferring their local dialect. This has tethered them to their home province and added to the language barriers with outsiders who arrive, as I have, reliant on AI tools to navigate them. ChatGPT, though an impressive translator, struggles with dialects.<\/p>\n<p>Younger people, meanwhile, have decamped for the cities looking for work, often leaving behind their children to be raised by their grandparents.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"sc-54c4a04e-0 yKpxh adWrapper noPrint sc-6f94ac39-3 fDyKLW\" data-testid=\"ad\"><small class=\"sc-54c4a04e-2 dhgkTF\">Advertisement<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-c502198b-0 NkURW\" readability=\"26\">\n<p>&ldquo;My children have gone to work in the 3D printing industry,&rdquo; one woman says, as she picks beans from her garden while her granddaughter plays nearby.<\/p>\n<p>But the crushing poverty that once afflicted Xingming, and mired families such as Li&rsquo;s in destitution, has largely been eliminated.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"sc-4820f69c-1 ZrhPA\"><button aria-label=\"enlarge image\" type=\"button\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-5 dyWwUw\">\n<div class=\"sc-d34e428-0 ikzfwY\"><picture><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.63%2C$multiply_0.9841%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_252\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/bc59ed60564f660fa95c227f41bb1f6f954246681437f62abe7987ffda3813c7, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.63%2C$multiply_1.9683%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_252\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/bc59ed60564f660fa95c227f41bb1f6f954246681437f62abe7987ffda3813c7 2x\"><source media=\"(min-width: 750px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.63%2C$multiply_1.0159%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_252\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/bc59ed60564f660fa95c227f41bb1f6f954246681437f62abe7987ffda3813c7, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.63%2C$multiply_2.0317%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_252\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/bc59ed60564f660fa95c227f41bb1f6f954246681437f62abe7987ffda3813c7 2x\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Portraits of Mao Zedong are a common sight in the homes of older residents in parts of rural China.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/%24zoom_0.63,%24multiply_0.7725,%24ratio_1.5,%24width_756,%24x_0,%24y_252\/t_crop_custom\/q_86,f_auto\/bc59ed60564f660fa95c227f41bb1f6f954246681437f62abe7987ffda3813c7\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.63%2C$multiply_0.7725%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_252\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/bc59ed60564f660fa95c227f41bb1f6f954246681437f62abe7987ffda3813c7, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.63%2C$multiply_1.545%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_252\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/bc59ed60564f660fa95c227f41bb1f6f954246681437f62abe7987ffda3813c7 2x\" class=\"sc-d34e428-1 ldCIuB\"><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><svg viewbox=\"0 0 38 38\" height=\"38px\" width=\"38px\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-4 iMiYlW\"><g stroke=\"#F4F5F7\" stroke-width=\"2\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" transform=\"matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 22.029383, 7.619553)\"><path d=\"M1 8l6.36396103-6.36396103M8 7V1H2\"><\/path><\/g><g stroke=\"#F4F5F7\" stroke-width=\"2\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" transform=\"matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 7.0731, 21.523087)\"><path d=\"M8 1L1.63603897 7.36396103M1 2v6h6\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/p><\/button><figcaption data-testid=\"figure-caption\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-0 SuAZY\"><span>Portraits of Mao Zedong are a common sight in the homes of older residents in parts of rural China.<\/span><cite class=\"sc-4820f69c-2 jfXEoI\"><span class=\"sc-4820f69c-3 jfhtQZ\">Lisa Visentin<\/span><\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>To get to Xingming from Beijing, it&rsquo;s a five-hour journey on high-speed rail to the nearest station in Yueyang &ndash; a small, lower-tier city by Chinese standards with only 5 million people (about the size of Sydney). Then it&rsquo;s an hour-long drive through the countryside.<\/p>\n<p>I&rsquo;ve come specifically to meet Li, a softly spoken 36-year-old architect turned aspiring AI developer, whose life has skirted the same grooves as China&rsquo;s own recent trajectory in many ways.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"sc-54c4a04e-0 yKpxh adWrapper noPrint sc-6f94ac39-3 fDyKLW\" data-testid=\"ad\"><small class=\"sc-54c4a04e-2 dhgkTF\">Advertisement<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-c502198b-0 NkURW\" readability=\"35\">\n<p>He rose out of poverty off the back of China&rsquo;s economic juggernaut, which from the 1990s onwards lifted hundreds of millions of people like him with it. Li then crested the wave of the country&rsquo;s property boom before crashing with its collapse, shuttering his own construction company within six months of opening it in 2022.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, he&rsquo;s looked for ways to reinvent himself, firstly in e-commerce, joining a friend&rsquo;s large online company selling adult products to consumers all over the world on platforms like Amazon and Taobao &ndash; a lucrative pivot that was especially profitable in the US market until US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s tariff war upended global supply chains.<\/p>\n<p>Now he&rsquo;s dabbling in the emerging tech economy, splitting his time between Xingming and Shenzhen &ndash; the gravitational epicentre of China&rsquo;s entrepreneurial classes &ndash; where he is teaching himself AI and building a small online game.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, he has been running the guesthouse. The 14-bedroom homestay is a relatively new addition to Xingming, one he designed himself, overseeing its construction in 2016 during the runaway years of China&rsquo;s real estate bubble. To build it, he scrimped, saved and borrowed money from friends in a bid to deliver on his parents&rsquo; dream for their son to return home and share his success with the family.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"sc-54c4a04e-0 yKpxh adWrapper noPrint sc-6f94ac39-3 fDyKLW\" data-testid=\"ad\"><small class=\"sc-54c4a04e-2 dhgkTF\">Advertisement<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-c502198b-0 NkURW\" readability=\"29\">\n<p>Its minimalist open-plan aesthetic &ndash; with sharp lines, exposed brick, timber panelling and floor-to-ceiling glass windows &ndash; is a strikingly incongruous landmark in the small village.<\/p>\n<p>It&rsquo;s also an unrecognisable improvement on the basic brick flat that once stood in the same spot and where his mother cooked over an open wood stove that doubled as heating. As a child, his family was too poor to afford a bicycle, so he and his brother walked two hours through the mountains to attend school, a journey they made twice a week, sleeping at the school quarters in between.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"sc-4820f69c-1 ZrhPA\"><button aria-label=\"enlarge image\" type=\"button\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-5 dyWwUw\">\n<div class=\"sc-d34e428-0 ikzfwY\"><picture><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_0.9841%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/083943e731cf9c8afabfe475fedcefa91b3c429c, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_1.9683%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/083943e731cf9c8afabfe475fedcefa91b3c429c 2x\"><source media=\"(min-width: 750px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_1.0159%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/083943e731cf9c8afabfe475fedcefa91b3c429c, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_2.0317%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/083943e731cf9c8afabfe475fedcefa91b3c429c 2x\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"North Asia correspondent Lisa Visentin has lunch with Li Zhiying&rsquo;s family and neighbours at the guesthouse in Xingming village.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/%24zoom_0.473,%24multiply_0.7725,%24ratio_1.5,%24width_756,%24x_0,%24y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86,f_auto\/083943e731cf9c8afabfe475fedcefa91b3c429c\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_0.7725%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/083943e731cf9c8afabfe475fedcefa91b3c429c, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.473%2C$multiply_1.545%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_31\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/083943e731cf9c8afabfe475fedcefa91b3c429c 2x\" class=\"sc-d34e428-1 ldCIuB\"><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><svg viewbox=\"0 0 38 38\" height=\"38px\" width=\"38px\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-4 iMiYlW\"><g stroke=\"#F4F5F7\" stroke-width=\"2\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" transform=\"matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 22.029383, 7.619553)\"><path d=\"M1 8l6.36396103-6.36396103M8 7V1H2\"><\/path><\/g><g stroke=\"#F4F5F7\" stroke-width=\"2\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" transform=\"matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 7.0731, 21.523087)\"><path d=\"M8 1L1.63603897 7.36396103M1 2v6h6\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/p><\/button><figcaption data-testid=\"figure-caption\" class=\"sc-4820f69c-0 SuAZY\"><span>North Asia correspondent Lisa Visentin has lunch with Li Zhiying&rsquo;s family and neighbours at the guesthouse in Xingming village.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;We could only afford to eat meat a handful of times a year. As for clothes, we often wore the same clothes for five or six years, unless we literally outgrew them,&rdquo; he tells me.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think everyone in China has felt the economic growth, and people in rural areas have felt it very noticeably too.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"sc-54c4a04e-0 yKpxh adWrapper noPrint sc-6f94ac39-3 fDyKLW\" data-testid=\"ad\"><small class=\"sc-54c4a04e-2 dhgkTF\">Advertisement<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-c502198b-0 NkURW\" readability=\"30.531707317073\">\n<p>&ldquo;If you had visited rural China 30 years ago, there was basically not a single paved or asphalt road in most rural areas. All the toilets in the countryside were simple pit latrines. Our waste was used to fertilise the vegetables.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<aside class=\"sc-c8170ed7-0 kBAoLZ noPrint\" data-testid=\"related-story\">\n<h2 data-testid=\"related-story-heading\" class=\"sc-c8170ed7-1 iHMtRN\">Related Article<\/h2>\n<div class=\"sc-679b6ed4-0 VKgwt\" data-an-position=\"1\" imagepositions=\"top\" data-testid=\"story-tile\">\n<figure imagesizes=\"[object Object]\" class=\"sc-8825a2fb-0 kZkxVd\">\n<div class=\"sc-d34e428-0 ikzfwY\"><picture><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.2802%2C$multiply_0.2805%2C$ratio_1.777778%2C$width_1059%2C$x_76%2C$y_140\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/b0a2dc12f9a3b24f712f40e01a8c2cc4f61082c8, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.2802%2C$multiply_0.5609%2C$ratio_1.777778%2C$width_1059%2C$x_76%2C$y_140\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/b0a2dc12f9a3b24f712f40e01a8c2cc4f61082c8 2x\"><source media=\"(min-width: 750px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.2802%2C$multiply_0.2842%2C$ratio_1.777778%2C$width_1059%2C$x_76%2C$y_140\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/b0a2dc12f9a3b24f712f40e01a8c2cc4f61082c8, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.2802%2C$multiply_0.5685%2C$ratio_1.777778%2C$width_1059%2C$x_76%2C$y_140\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/b0a2dc12f9a3b24f712f40e01a8c2cc4f61082c8 2x\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Chinese President Xi Jinping waves as he arrives at the opening ceremony for the World AI Conference.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/%24zoom_0.2802,%24multiply_0.5127,%24ratio_1.777778,%24width_1059,%24x_76,%24y_140\/t_crop_custom\/q_86,f_auto\/b0a2dc12f9a3b24f712f40e01a8c2cc4f61082c8\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.2802%2C$multiply_0.5127%2C$ratio_1.777778%2C$width_1059%2C$x_76%2C$y_140\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/b0a2dc12f9a3b24f712f40e01a8c2cc4f61082c8, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.2802%2C$multiply_1.0255%2C$ratio_1.777778%2C$width_1059%2C$x_76%2C$y_140\/t_crop_custom\/q_62%2Cf_auto\/b0a2dc12f9a3b24f712f40e01a8c2cc4f61082c8 2x\" class=\"sc-d34e428-1 ioInpc\"><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>These days the roads are sealed, and the village has reliable power and sewerage systems. Many of his neighbours have rebuilt bigger, multi-storey houses in recent years, and many families have at least one car.<\/p>\n<p>Li&rsquo;s ticket out was that he was academically gifted, won a scholarship to study architectural design at university and was supported by government policies that helped low-income families. He graduated into a rapacious property market, at one point securing a well-paid job with Country Garden, China&rsquo;s biggest real estate developer.<\/p>\n<p>Laden with billions of dollars of debt, Country Garden has been teetering on the brink of collapse since 2023. Its crisis, along with the implosion of other major developers, has hollowed out China&rsquo;s middle-class wealth and left an economic wound so deep that even the nation&rsquo;s breakout AI industries haven&rsquo;t come close to healing it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"sc-54c4a04e-0 yKpxh adWrapper noPrint sc-6f94ac39-3 fDyKLW\" data-testid=\"ad\"><small class=\"sc-54c4a04e-2 dhgkTF\">Advertisement<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-c502198b-0 NkURW\" readability=\"26\">\n<p>When Li&rsquo;s guesthouse first opened before COVID-19 hit, it was fully booked on weekends, but since then, the slow post-pandemic recovery and lagging domestic economy have seen bookings dwindle as Chinese consumers sit on their savings.<\/p>\n<p>During my stay last weekend, I was the only guest, although more travellers arrived the day I checked out.<\/p>\n<p>As China opens up to foreign tourists, Li hopes more will find their way to villages such as Xingming.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If you travel China, 70 to 80 per cent of the places are like this. It is also very beautiful here. Although the big cities are also a real part of China, this is what China truly is.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h3>Read more of our China coverage<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"sc-54c4a04e-0 yKpxh adWrapper noPrint sc-6f94ac39-3 fDyKLW\" data-testid=\"ad\"><small class=\"sc-54c4a04e-2 dhgkTF\">Advertisement<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"article-footer\" class=\"sc-780f6c39-0 fWnQtB\">\n<div class=\"sc-780f6c39-1 bhFzjY noPrint\">\n<div class=\"sc-780f6c39-2 ksUUFP\">\n<div class=\"sc-f9e3ccff-0 kbEYga sc-780f6c39-3 fMMhlQ\" readability=\"6.3137254901961\"><button aria-checked=\"false\" aria-label=\"Save article to read later\" role=\"switch\" type=\"button\" class=\"sc-f9e3ccff-1 kmQlMe\"><svg fill=\"none\" height=\"24\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"24\" class=\"sc-d1b14060-0 TUyao\"><path d=\"M5.75 4C5.75 3.86193 5.86193 3.75 6 3.75H18C18.1381 3.75 18.25 3.86193 18.25 4L18.25 19.7709L12.8004 16.9682C12.2981 16.7099 11.7019 16.7099 11.1996 16.9682L5.75 19.7709L5.75 4Z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"sc-f9e3ccff-2 gaKrMl\">Save<\/span><\/button>\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"sc-ba6ddcd9-0 yEdFV sc-d1b14060-3 cpmcTK\" role=\"tooltip\" readability=\"8.0816326530612\">\n<p class=\"sc-d1b14060-4 JmUoF\">You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n<p>Remove items from your saved list to add more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-b5b9fd03-0 ksyHqK\">\n<div class=\"sc-b5b9fd03-1 LVIFj\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lisa Visentin\" data-testid=\"author-avatar-image\" height=\"40\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/w_40,h_40,c_fill,g_auto:faces\/q_86,f_auto\/e3b83e0cc0bded1ebecd9a7d4ebf56f2e94e07b8\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/w_40,h_40,c_fill,g_auto:faces\/q_86,f_auto\/e3b83e0cc0bded1ebecd9a7d4ebf56f2e94e07b8, https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/w_80%2Ch_80%2Cc_fill%2Cg_auto:faces\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/e3b83e0cc0bded1ebecd9a7d4ebf56f2e94e07b8 2x\" width=\"40\" class=\"sc-9a01536c-0 libeSR\"><span data-testid=\"author-bio\" class=\"sc-b5b9fd03-3 cVMGnz\"><span>Lisa Visentin is the North Asia correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age based in Beijing. She was previously a federal political correspondent based in Canberra.<\/span><span class=\"sc-b5b9fd03-4 gMBkSk\">Connect via X<span> or <\/span>email.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"sc-3dbe4134-0 iIZygf sc-df8e6ee0-0 noPrint noPrint\" data-an-name=\"From our partners\" data-an-cu-group=\"everything\" data-an-cu-name=\"From our partners\" data-an-cu-position=\"4\" data-testid=\"from-our-partners-strap\">\n<header class=\"sc-84567ec1-0 hpMljf\">\n<h2 data-pb-type=\"hi\" class=\"sc-84567ec1-1 weWOF\"><span>From our partners<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"sc-df8e6ee0-1 iJvgCK\">\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"sc-54c4a04e-0 blRVQF adWrapper noPrint sc-df8e6ee0-2 gcpFZE\" data-testid=\"ad\"><small class=\"sc-54c4a04e-2 dhgkTF\">Advertisement<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"sc-54c4a04e-0 blRVQF adWrapper noPrint sc-df8e6ee0-3 fIPZKC\" data-testid=\"ad\"><small class=\"sc-54c4a04e-2 dhgkTF\">Advertisement<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p><sub>Chickens, Chairman Mao and spiced tea with the neighbours: Welcome to &lsquo;the real China&rsquo;<\/sub><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Advertisement Updated July 26, 2026 &mdash; 4:07pm,first published July 26, 2026 &mdash; 9:45am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA What in the World, a free weekly newsletter from our foreign correspondents, is sent every Thursday. Below is an excerpt. Sign up&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/chickens-chairman-mao-and-spiced-tea-with-the-neighbours-welcome-to-the-real-china\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &ldquo;Chickens, Chairman Mao and spiced tea with the neighbours: Welcome to \u2018the real China\u2019&rdquo;<\/span> &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23718,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23717","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23717"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23717\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23717"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}