In the 1980s, Yucun Village in east China’s Zhejiang Province was famous for its limestone mines—but villagers paid an environmental price as quarry dust blanketed the air. 🌫️
Fast forward to the early 2000s: with surroundings damaged and dreams fading, local leaders decided on a bold move. They shut down the mines and bet on a leisure economy—"selling scenery" instead of stone. 🍃🏞️
In August 2005, then secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping, visited Yucun and praised the switch. He introduced the idea that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." That moment became a game changer. 🔑
Pan Chunlin, once a tractor driver for the mines, opened Yucun’s first guesthouse in 2005. "We were miners; now I run my own business with a team of friends," he says. From dusty paths to cozy countryside cafés, the village got a major upgrade. ☕🌻
By 2024, Yucun welcomed 1.22 million visitors, earning 22.05 million yuan (about $3.1 million). With over 1,000 residents, per capita income hit 74,000 yuan, and annual dividends jumped from 600 yuan in 2020 to 3,000 yuan—a fivefold increase. 📈💪
Today, rice paddies sway next to sunflower fields, and nature-lover travelers earn Yucun a spot among the world’s top tourism villages. It’s proof that green vision can turn into real gold. ✨🌍
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
