Young blood

Liu Xiufeng said that to vitalize the village and the township, talent is also vitally important in addition to education and cultural prosperity. He said it is good that more young people are returning to the rural area to make a contribution.

Lan Deyong, 33, is among those who returned to Dongtou in 2018, and is now working for the Shezu village committee.

"I used to work for an electronics business in Huizhou, Guangdong province. I feel really happy that I've come back," he said. "This is where I grew up, and I know the people here. Everyone greets me, which makes me feel warm. I reunite with my family members during festivals and holidays, which gives me a sense of stability.

"It's an honor for relatively young people to grow with the village and witness it improve through our contributions."

Zhang Hui, 23, who comes from Huichang, was elected as the representative to the county people's congress in September 2020, thanks to her hard work as a guide at the Hanxianyan tourist attraction since 2017.

"I never feel inferior to my peers who work in big cities such as Nanchang. Working as a guide gives me a sense of achievement and I can also take care of my family members in the county," she said.

Zhang added that over the past few years she has witnessed the county's rapid economic and tourism growth.

"For example, most of the guides I used to know at my company worked part time, as they had jobs as primary school teachers, but now we have more full-time guides. I think this is one of the good changes to emerge from the national policy," she said.