Once a small village, it has transformed into a "Zhuang-Yao cultural village". Local operators and guesthouse managers warmly welcome visitors from afar, while local mountain products such as the Litsea cubeba have become popular among tourists as essential oils and pillows. In Zhuang-Yao Autonomous County of Lienshan , Qingyuan City, a beautiful scene of rural revitalization is unfolding, marked by a thriving environment, flourishing industries, and contented residents.
Break through spatial constraints on development
This year, Wen Meijiao from Shiping Village in Yonghe Town, Lianshan, has taken on a new role as a rural guesthouse manager. Working right on her doorstep, she handles the daily operations of the village's rental guesthouses and earns a decent income. "I can earn money working right here in the village. It's much better than farming where you're at the mercy of the weather," Wen Meijiao said with a smile.
This shift is attributed to the "Three-land Revitalization" reform of Lianshan.
The economic cooperative organizations in Shiping Village consolidate land resources from farmers for a fee and lease them to specialized operating companies. These companies use the "OECPF" (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Maintenance) model to develop and manage the rural "Three-land" and to attract investment for existing guesthouses, Zhuang-Yao medicine halls, and other facilities. They focus on developing new business models such as shared guesthouses, shared agriculture, and digital agriculture. By doing so, the investment and operating teams avoid directly negotiating and signing agreements with villagers, which not only helps prevent residual issues after land transfers but also leverages the benefits of unified planning and management, promoting industrialization and scaling of rural businesses.
Lianshan has revitalized the idle old houses in Shiping Village, enhanced the surrounding farmland and village water systems, and integrated elements such as ethnic culture, intangible heritage, and characteristic agriculture into the development plan. The project aims to create a comprehensive rural tourism destination that combines cultural villages, guesthouses, Yao medicine and medicated baths , characteristic catering, recreational activities, cultural agriculture, and auto and recreational vehicle camps . It promotes Zhuang and Yao culture and ethnic tourism resources, fostering a deep integration of agriculture, culture, tourism, sports, and wellness.
Statistics showed that in 2023, Shiping Village hosted over 60,000 visitors from both within and outside the county, generating a revenue of 1.36 million yuan and boosting the village's collective economy by nearly 200,000 yuan.
Boost internal forces driving development
To sustain the positive momentum of rural revitalization, it's crucial to stimulate the rural internal forces driving development. Lianshan achieves this by "training residents, providing localized services, and enhancing the skills of indigenous people," thereby creating "operational rural areas " and establishing a long-term mechanism that links, helps, benefits, and enriches farmers.
Litsea cubeba is a unique spice native to southern China and a familiar "mountain product" to the people of Lianshan. In 2014, Zhuang entrepreneur Qin Chunhui returned to her hometown of Lianshan to start a business, founding Lianshan Joybo Ecological Industry Development Co., Ltd. ("Joybo "). The company focuses on the cultivation and processing of Litsea cubeba. Today, Joybo has developed into a comprehensive showcase integrating production, tours, hands-on experiences, and educational activities. It is also trialing the cultivation of high-quality Litsea cubeba varieties to build experience for advancing the artificial cultivation of premium strains.
The development of Joybo is a reflection of the growth of the Litsea cubeba industry in Lianshan. In recent years, Lianshan has tailored its approach to local conditions by organizing investment promotion conferences, signing a "3+1" support framework agreement with the Guangdong Academy of Forestry , and fostering new forestry management entities in the Litsea cubeba industry, which are actively driving the industry's development. Currently, the project of Lianshan Lingnan Ethnic Characteristics High-Quality Development Corridor: Lianshan Litsea Cubeba Planting Demonstration Base has been registered, approved, and is now being implemented.
"We will actively plan and develop Litsea cubeba planting bases and processing facilities, establish a well-integrated industrial system combining primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors, and strive to see Litsea cubeba flowers in full bloom along the Lingnan Ethnic Characteristics High-Quality Development Corridor's Zhuangyao Scenic Route," said an official from Lianshan.
Source: Yangcheng Evening News
