Village draws urban visitors with Tujia culture

Speaking about why he set up a papermaking studio on the second floor of his homestay, Tang says he wants his guests to savor the tradition of papermaking in the village over hundreds of years.

Visitors can make exquisite lanterns, paper with flowers and grass patterns.

Tang is now planning to build a facility that offers learning and pastoral photography for the increasing number of family travelers who knock on his door. He expects the new facility to open in June.

The popularity of Yunshe has encouraged an increase in the local rural tourism services. The village has more than 40 restaurants and almost 20 homestays. It recorded more than 126,000 "traveler visits" in the first six months of this year, raking in 42.5 million yuan ($6.7 million) in tourism revenue. The village's per capita disposable income has reached 18,000 yuan.

Yunshe received more than 180,000 such visits in 2020, including more than 13,000 who stayed at least a night. Local authorities have upgraded infrastructure and tapped into folk culture to boost tourism and involve locals in the industry.

A Tujia folk customs museum and tourism commodity shop have been built, with a parking lot and sightseeing lanes. Old traditions, such as Tujia wedding customs and toasting songs, have been included in tourism services to enrich travel experiences.

Wang Jin in Guizhou contributed to this story.