In Shuijiao village, Tianya district, Sanya, Hainan province, the "Slow Time Cafe Courtyard" now delights visitors with lush lawns, cobblestone paths, and bougainvillea blossoms - a scene worlds away from its former state as an overgrown plot.
Owner Pu Wenxing personally transformed the space, handcrafting furniture and gradually shaping it into a pastoral retreat. "Combining poetic living with income generation is my vision of a good life," says Pu.
Over the past two years, the village has embraced a "courtyard economy", with residents converting idle yards into barbecues, restaurants, fish farms, and craft workshops. These ventures attracted 58 million yuan ($8 million) in investment and generated 11 million yuan in revenue in 2023, creating 186 jobs - 60 percent of which were filled by returning college graduates.
The shift also healed the environment. Luo Zhike, owner of "Leisurely Chat Courtyard", spent months clearing broken glass and replanting his once-derelict scrap yard before opening. Now, his roast suckling pig draws crowds. Nearby, Luo Hailun converted his family's pigeon coop into a book cafe, turning a once-dodgy alley into a community hub.
"Clean surroundings come first; business follows," says Dong Guoxiao, Party chief of Shuijiao village. The courtyard boom has revitalized 164 mu (10.93 hectares) of land and removed 80 metric tons of waste - proving that economic and ecological gains can bloom together.
