A young Taiwanese woman from New Taipei City, born after 1995, has found her second home in the rural landscapes of Fujian, where she is using art and education to uplift local communities.
Yuan Qingyang, a double bachelor's degree holder in hospitality management and landscape design, describes Fujian's countryside as "a treasure trove waiting to be explored." She recently told reporters in Pingtan that home is where the heart resides, and this coastal region has become exactly that for her.
Her daily life in Zhongmen Village, Pingtan, is framed by mountains at the front and the sea at the back, with traditional stone-built houses scattered across the hillside. Opening her window each morning, she can reach the ocean within a five-minute walk, surrounded by the sounds of frogs and birdsong.
Before settling in mainland China, Yuan had interned at a landscape design firm in Shanghai and worked as a teacher in Taiwan. In early 2024, she crossed the strait and chose to live in the mountain-and-sea setting of Pingtan, dedicating herself to rural construction, village innovation, and community work.
After establishing herself in the village, Yuan noticed many children left behind by parents working elsewhere. In July 2024, she launched the "Lantan Public Welfare Academy," offering weekend art and culture classes. What began with introductory harp lessons has expanded to include painting, street dance, rural aesthetics, and traditional Chinese cultural courses.
The story of educator Zhang Guimei, who led mountain girls out of poverty through education, deeply inspired Yuan. She hopes that children in Fujian's villages can broaden their horizons through diverse learning and connect with the wider world. Beyond the classroom, she takes the children on beach cleanup activities to clear marine debris and leads them on holiday visits to care for elderly residents.
Yuan has also mapped out the village's tourism resources, including homestays and dining options, while working to boost sales of local specialty seafood and activate the rural economy. She believes Pingtan's villages hold hidden gems—from fish-raft scenery to century-old settlements—that remain largely unknown to outsiders, and she is determined to share them with a broader audience.
The coastal beauty of Zhongmen Village has been what Yuan calls "the most stunning gift," fulfilling a long-held equestrian dream. She recently purchased an Akhal-Teke horse from another region, marking her first-ever horse, now joined by dogs, pigeons, and a group of cats.
At 30 years old, Yuan says she never expected to realize her childhood dream. She plans to incorporate international healing programs and develop an equine therapy project, adding a new dimension to rural development.
Since February, Yuan has run a social media account called "The Taiwanese Girl Raising an Akhal-Teke Horse," documenting her rural work and daily life, along with the scenic coastlines and transformation of Zhongmen Village. "If I hadn't come to the mainland, I wouldn't have this life," she says. "I want to dig into the cultural highlights of Fujian's villages from a Taiwanese perspective, showing netizens the rural landscape while also letting young people in Taiwan see the development happening here."
In Yuan's view, villages should never be forgotten corners. When young people bring fresh thinking and put down roots in the countryside, mainland villages become vibrant soil full of potential—transforming into unique youth-oriented frontiers.
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