A richer life

Since 2018, the villagers have not only lived a better life, but they have become more involved in creative endeavors. They have gone from knowing little about art, to seeing art integrated into their daily lives, to the extent that the wheat harvest itself has become part of a broader creative endeavor.

Some villagers have even become artists in their own right. Han Yangquan, a villager from Caijiapo, has learned to use cameras and take pictures, putting on a photo exhibition outside his home. "You can discover the beauty of life in this way, and learn to express the emotions in your heart," says Han.

Liu Xinyuan, another villager, likes planting flowers and plants. During the ongoing festival, together with the academy's teachers, students and tourists, she built a "symbiotic botanical garden" in front of her house, with old items she collected from other villagers.

"Previously, I thought that only flowerpots could be used to grow flowers, but in the eyes of the artists, old benches and even saddles can be used for that purpose," says Liu. "Art hasn't just turned Caijiapo into a destination for social-media celebrities. More importantly, it constantly impacts and subverts our original notions."

By embracing the arts, Caijiapo has undergone a profound transformation, both economically and socially. Those changes have also injected new vitality into the surrounding villages. Inspired by Caijiapo's example, they have launched tourist-friendly projects of their own.

Xiazhuang village, for example, has built a demonstration village for the inheritance of new folk arts. Liyukou village, meanwhile, has built a "reception hall" to create a cultural industry cluster of rural manufacturers. All of these efforts have attracted visitors and boosted business activity.

Song Naihong, 45, a villager from Liyukou, used to run a noodle restaurant. Last year, when the Liyukou-based Two Tree Coffee began recruiting, Song signed up and learned to use computers and make coffee.

Today, she is a master barista, proficient in latte art. "As the job requires me to keep learning and encountering new things, I feel that my life is really fulfilling," says Song.