The returnee with growing ambitions

Sitting atop a ridge, surrounded by green mountains and boasting an extensive view of terraced orchards, Shizizhai, a rural settlement in Gaopai village, Huichang county, has all the natural elements required for a major ecotourism attraction.

That potential is what prompted Huichang native Rao Rongsheng, a member of the Hakka ethnic group, to abandon his urban life-style and a lucrative career in the mining industry in Guangdong province in 2013, and return to his home in southern Jiangxi province, East China.

"When I made the decision, my older brother asked 'Are you out of your mind?'" the 45-year-old said.