Rural escapism: Why China’s young urbanites are romanticising countryside living

In a sun-dappled courtyard in China's southwestern Yunnan province, 34-year-old Zheng Junyu sips tea in a bamboo rocking chair, embodying a tranquil rural existence. A former presenter for Kunming Broadcasting Corporation, Zheng left her city job in 2025, citing waning passion for journalism and the prohibitive cost of parking fees. She described her previous life as feeling like “a frog being slowly boiled alive,” contrasting it with her current “quiet and free” life in the countryside. Her traditional brick-and-stone courtyard, though small, offers a dreamscape where days slow down, fostering contentment. Zheng's videos on Xiaohongshu, where she has over 328,000 followers, capture this romanticized vision of rural living, appealing to young urbanites weary of city life. Users like Vicky Wang comment on feeling like they’ve “gone back in time,” while Mao Jiuqi calls it “the ideal life” with a small courtyard, pets, and financial security. Comments like “I love how you designed your home” and “lying on tatami mats and eating watermelon is my dream” reflect a deep yearning for simplicity and peace. This fascination with the countryside is part of a broader societal conversation about burnout and economic uncertainty in China. Ethnographer Vivianne Zhang Wei notes that many young adults are leaving first-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai. While not unique to China, the trend has distinct aspects, including state-backed efforts promoting rural revitalization. Official statistics show a reverse flow of people returning to rural areas, with over 12 million people starting businesses in the countryside by 2025, according to Xinhua. These individuals are creating new industries and innovative business models, challenging the decades-long trend of mass migration from rural areas to cities.

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When the wind blows, the courtyard is like a dreamscape. Amidst the tiles and bricks, your days slow down. It seems like the simpler life gets, the easier it is to be content.