Beijing Forestry University's international students recently traveled to Yuanjia Village in Liquan County, Shaanxi Province, for a two-day field study as part of the "Silk Road Heritage, Rural Revitalization" social practice program. The first stop focused on the folk culture of Guanzhong and a living example of rural revitalization.

Once a hollowed-out village with limited development, Yuanjia Village has transformed into a nationally recognized model for rural tourism. Rooted in Guanzhong folk culture and driven by a cooperative shareholding system with shared benefits, the village has carved out a distinctive path to rural development. Its cobblestone lanes, traditional dwellings, time‑honored workshops, intangible cultural heritage, and modern businesses coexist harmoniously, making it a living museum of folk customs and a valuable learning site for international students.

During the visit, the village chief guided students through the village history museum, recounting the community's transformation from a struggling village to a thriving cultural tourism destination. Students also toured traditional workshops, specialty food shops, cultural creative spaces, and guesthouses, gaining insight into the village's "one shop, one product" and differentiated operation model.

In the study tour, students worked in pairs to conduct face‑to‑face interviews with shop owners, exploring topics such as business models, profit distribution, and unified management. They gained a deeper understanding of the village cooperative's operating system, characterized by centralized management, shared benefits, and strict quality control.

The two-day field trip allowed international students to step out of the classroom and into the countryside, experiencing firsthand the achievements of rural revitalization in China while building a bridge for cross‑cultural exchange.

Written by Cui Xiuru, Fu Wenyu
Translated and edited by Song He
Reviewed by Yu Yangyang