THE BIRTHPLACE OF NONGJIALE

The village recognized as the cradle of China's vast rural-entertainment sector has continued to expand, upgrade and diversify its offerings. Yang Feiyue reports.

Xu Jiyuan couldn't have imagined that a small courtyard he built in the 1980s would become the prototype for the nongjiale - farmers' houses turned into "agritainment" destinations, primarily as diners, culture centers and homestays.

The original Xu Family Courtyard was a simple rural residence with one-story grey-tiled bungalows on three sides in Nongke village in Pixian county on the fringe of Sichuan's provincial capital, Chengdu.