A new symphony: Fujian's rural vitalization

Culture, commerce and tourism integration: The 'reverse growth' and 'new villagers' of ancient villages

In Fujian, a thriving cultural tourism industry rests on the empowerment of culture and ecology. At the Taiwan-themed Town in Pingtan, Fuzhou, a new business model — deep integration of culture, commerce and tourism — is awakening dormant rural resources.

Taiwan-themed Town in Pingtan, Fuzhou, once a single-function commercial park; has transformed into a cultural tourism complex integrating shopping, cuisine and performance. Lin Yan, general manager of the Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone Culture and Tourism Group, explained that by introducing immersive performances, Taiwan specialty snacks and a nighttime economy, average visitor visit time has extended from under one hour to over three.

In the depth of the mountains of Pingnan county, Ningde, Longtan village has adopted a "culture and creativity plus ancient village" model, attracting "new villagers" like Nyikar Tso from Aba Tibetan-Qiang autonomous prefecture, Sichuan province. Drawn to the timber-framed traditional dwellings and creative atmosphere, she and her husband transformed idle ancient homes into a hybrid space combining guesthouses, a café, and a pottery studio.

She plans to bring her elderly family members and children to stay. New villagers like her already number more than 100 in Longtan village. They have brought coffee shops, bookstores and oil painting studios, breathing new life into the ancient settlement. Their arrival represents not merely capital investment, but a fusion of new ideas and lifestyles, fundamentally reshaping the rural social ecosystem.