Tangcun village in Xi'an thrives through transformation

In recent years, Tangcun village in Chang'an district, Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, has been promoting the development of primary, secondary and tertiary industries based around rural tourism by relying on its rich local agricultural, ecological, cultural and historical resources.

The village was once abandoned, filled with decrepit houses and vacant land.

Tangcun village in Xi'an is now filled with greenery. [Photo/Xi'an news network]

Ma Wei, who was born in 1990, once worked at Xi'an Jinjiang International Hotel. In 2018, when she heard from the villagers that the abandoned old village was going to be restored and developed, she decided to move there to work immediately.

Ma is now a guide at Xi'an Tianlang Culture, Business Travel Company.

She and other young people in the village are excited to see the old ancestral hall, old stage, and old courtyards of each family are being restored.

"From construction to operation, Tangcun village has provided villagers with about 200 employment opportunities as reception, workers, security guards, and cleaners. In addition, there are currently more than 20 villagers engaged in self-management," said He Meng, chief planner of the company.

He Xuan, who has studied in both the United States and Japan, heard about Tangcun village from her family after returning to China in 2017.

A visitor takes photos of Tangcun village in Xi'an. [Photo/Xi'an news network]

"It was the first time I came to see an abandoned village. Although it had just rained and the village roads were muddy and difficult to navigate, the streets and alleys of the old village and the old tree-tiled houses were still visible, as was the verdant Zhongnan Mountain not far away, inspiring me to start a business here," He said.

With the transformation of Tangcun village underway, she came to the village in 2020 and opened a bookstore and coffee shop called Mengxi Youshi.

The village has now become a must-visit place for camping, as well as a great place to enjoy country life.

Many locals and tourists camp in Tangcun village. [Photo/Xi'an news network]