Planningisthefirststepofruralrevitalization.InnumerousvillagesacrossZhejiang,"ruralplanners"havecometothestage,takingontasksofattractingruralbusiness,upgradingindustriesandimplementingmarket-orientedoperations.Theirqualificationsandaprofoundconnectionwiththelocalsallowthemtoinjectvitalityintoruraldevelopment.MeticulousPlanningRevitalizesRuralResourcesPhototakenonJuly15,2023showswoodenhomestayhousesdottingthemountainofLongshangVillage,GaohongTownofHangzhou,capitalofeastChina'sZhejiangProvince.(PhotobyGuangmingOnline)LocatedinLin'anDistrict,HangzhouCity,ZhejiangProvince,LongmenMijingcomprisesthreeadministrativevillages:Shimen,Longshang,andDashan.Spanningacross55squarekilometers,itservesasanall-in-onetourismclusterintegratingagriculturaltourism,culturaltourismandhealthcaretrips.PhototakenonJune16,2023showsLouMin,operatorofalocalvastvillagetourismcluster,speakingduringaninterviewwithGuangminginLongshangVillage,southeastChina’sZhejiangProvince.(PhotobyGuangmingOnline)In2017,Lin'anintroducedtheconceptof"villageoperation".ThankstoLouMin'spassionforherhometown,extensiveexperienceandexceptionalknowledgeinmarketing,shebecametheoperatorofthisvastvillagetourismclusterandisnowrecognizedas"China'sfirstruralplanner".Despitegrowingupinthevillage,shevisitedhouseholdsdoor-by-doorandcarriedoutthoroughbaselineresearchtolearnaboutthevillage'snaturalscenery,culturalheritage,folklore,folkart,availablelandandthevillagers'intention.Additionally,shesoughtadvicefromvariousdomesticteamstoensuresuccessfultourismdevelopment.Takingintoaccountvariousproposals,LouMindevelopedaroutefeaturingexploringhistoricallandmarksinShimenVillage,enjoyingthesightsinLongshangVillage,andpromotingwellnessinDashanVillage.Guidedbythisapproach,sheexploredandcreatedculturalpedestrianareas,mountainlodging,beerbars,chrysanthemumgardens,traditionalterracesandotherminiaturelandscapes.Atthesametime,sheencouragedtourismbusinesses,suchasrock-climbingtowns,lodgingclusters,andfruit/vegetablepickinggardens,toinvestinthearea.TheLongmenMijingvillagetourismclusterhasbecomeunprecedentedlyvibrantbyimplementingmarket-orientedstrategiesandeffectivebranding."In2019,thescenicareawasverypopularevenintrialoperation,"LouMinsaid,"Thevillagerssaidtheydidn’tevendreamtoexpecthowlivelytheonceinconspicuousvillagehadbecome."Cultural-ethicalProjectsStimulateInternalPowerContinuouslyinvestinginandsupportingthecountrysidecantransformitsappearance,butonlymotivationfromwithincanleadtohigh-qualityandsustainableruraldevelopmentthatenrichesthevillagers."Ruralrevitalizationneedstoseekstrengthfromtheoriginalvillagers,"saidZhengJiahao,operationsmanagerofTuanshiVillageLifeCenter.Accordingtohim,thevillageoperationhassuccessfullydrawninboth"newvillagers"and"returnees"whoarestartingbusinessesandsearchingforjobs.However,thecrucialaspectisutilizingthe"catfish"effecttoinspirelocalvillagerstocollaborateandattainsharedprosperity.PhototakenonJune18,2023showsZhengJiahaoarrangingbooksatVillageLifeCenterofTuanshiVillage,QuzhouCityofZhejiangProvince.(PhotobyGuangmingOnline)Aspartoftheirregularwork,ZhengJiahao’soperationteamfrequentlyarrangesculturalactivities,parent-childeducationprograms,andskillstrainingtoenhancetheculturalandethicallevelofthevillagers.Additionally,theyprioritizetheimprovementofthevillagers’skills.InLongmenMijing,LouMinalsosaid,"Wewillofferfloriculture,tea-making,andetiquettetrainingtowomenwhorunagritainmentbusinesses.Additionally,weaimtoencouragelocalvillagerstofullyunderstandthearea'shistoryandculturesothattheycanengageinconversationswithtouristsduringtheirfreetime."Theenhancementofvillagers’cultural-ethicaloutlookhasledtoapositiveinteractiongraduallyformedbetweentouristsandthem."Wehaveawonderfulfolktraditionherethatbothlocalsandtouristsadore.Seeingthedevelopment,thevillagersnaturallytakeituponthemselvestopreservethecustomsandmaintaintheenvironment,"saidLouMin.NewRolesandNewPositionsareCallingYoungPeopleBackRuralplannersareagrowingprofessionthatoffersaplatformformanytalented,ambitiousandlocallyconnectedyoungpeopletocontributeyouthfulenergytoruralrevitalizationanddevelopment.HuMianisoneofthem.Shortlyaftergraduatingfromcollege,shecametoQingshandianVillageinLin'an,Hangzhou,toworkasaruralplanner.PhototakenonJune16,2023showsHuMian,whoreturnstohometownandworksasaruralpannerinQingshandianVillage,southeastChina’sZhejiangProvince.(PhotobyGuangmingOnline)"Seventypercentofourteamarefromthistown.Manyyoungpeoplearewillingtoreturn,butwhatcanwedowhenwecomeback?That'sthequestion,"saidHuMian.HuMianbelievesthattheprofessionofruralplanningandtheemploymentopportunitiesitcreatesforyoungpeoplecanmotivatethemtoreturnforruraldevelopment.HuMianandherpartnersaremotivatedtostarttheirownbusinessintheirhometownthankstothegovernment'ssupport,thevillagers'trust,andthesenseofachievementtheyfeelfromthework."Inthepast,Istruggledwithruralrevitalizationsincethetopicseemedtoocomplexforme,"HuMiansaidwithasmile,"Uponarrivinghere,Idiscoveredtheimportanceofexploringandpromotingruraldevelopmentgradually.I'mdeterminedtocontinueadvancingmycareerwhilecontributingtothisundertaking."Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.