Once a small village, it has transformed into a "Zhuang-Yao cultural village". Local operators and guesthouse managers warmly welcome visitors from afar, while local mountain products such as the Litsea cubeba have become popular among tourists as essential oils and pillows. In Zhuang-Yao Autonomous County of Lienshan , Qingyuan City, a beautiful scene of rural revitalization is unfolding, marked by a thriving environment, flourishing industries, and contented residents.

Break through spatial constraints on development

This year, Wen Meijiao from Shiping Village in Yonghe Town, Lianshan, has taken on a new role as a rural guesthouse manager. Working right on her doorstep, she handles the daily operations of the village's rental guesthouses and earns a decent income. "I can earn money working right here in the village. It's much better than farming where you're at the mercy of the weather," Wen Meijiao said with a smile.

This shift is attributed to the "Three-land Revitalization" reform of Lianshan.

The economic cooperative organizations in Shiping Village consolidate land resources from farmers for a fee and lease them to specialized operating companies. These companies use the "OECPF" (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Maintenance) model to develop and manage the rural "Three-land" and to attract investment for existing guesthouses, Zhuang-Yao medicine halls, and other facilities. They focus on developing new business models such as shared guesthouses, shared agriculture, and digital agriculture. By doing so, the investment and operating teams avoid directly negotiating and signing agreements with villagers, which not only helps prevent residual issues after land transfers but also leverages the benefits of unified planning and management, promoting industrialization and scaling of rural businesses.

Lianshan has revitalized the idle old houses in Shiping Village, enhanced the surrounding farmland and village water systems, and integrated elements such as ethnic culture, intangible heritage, and characteristic agriculture into the development plan. The project aims to create a comprehensive rural tourism destination that combines cultural villages, guesthouses, Yao medicine and medicated baths , characteristic catering, recreational activities, cultural agriculture, and auto and recreational vehicle camps . It promotes Zhuang and Yao culture and ethnic tourism resources, fostering a deep integration of agriculture, culture, tourism, sports, and wellness.

Statistics showed that in 2023, Shiping Village hosted over 60,000 visitors from both within and outside the county, generating a revenue of 1.36 million yuan and boosting the village's collective economy by nearly 200,000 yuan.

Boost internal forces driving development 

To sustain the positive momentum of rural revitalization, it's crucial to stimulate the rural internal forces driving development. Lianshan achieves this by "training residents, providing localized services, and enhancing the skills of indigenous people," thereby creating "operational rural areas " and establishing a long-term mechanism that links, helps, benefits, and enriches farmers.

Litsea cubeba is a unique spice native to southern China and a familiar "mountain product" to the people of Lianshan. In 2014, Zhuang entrepreneur Qin Chunhui returned to her hometown of Lianshan to start a business, founding Lianshan Joybo Ecological Industry Development Co., Ltd. ("Joybo "). The company focuses on the cultivation and processing of Litsea cubeba. Today, Joybo has developed into a comprehensive showcase integrating production, tours, hands-on experiences, and educational activities. It is also trialing the cultivation of high-quality Litsea cubeba varieties to build experience for advancing the artificial cultivation of premium strains.

The development of Joybo is a reflection of the growth of the Litsea cubeba industry in Lianshan. In recent years, Lianshan has tailored its approach to local conditions by organizing investment promotion conferences, signing a "3+1" support framework agreement with the Guangdong Academy of Forestry , and fostering new forestry management entities in the Litsea cubeba industry, which are actively driving the industry's development. Currently, the project of Lianshan Lingnan Ethnic Characteristics High-Quality Development Corridor: Lianshan Litsea Cubeba Planting Demonstration Base has been registered, approved, and is now being implemented.

"We will actively plan and develop Litsea cubeba planting bases and processing facilities, establish a well-integrated industrial system combining primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors, and strive to see Litsea cubeba flowers in full bloom along the Lingnan Ethnic Characteristics High-Quality Development Corridor's Zhuangyao Scenic Route," said an official from Lianshan.

Source :Yangcheng Evening News

清远连山：“三地活化”破解土地瓶颈，常见山货变成“致富金豆”

昔日小村庄变身“壮瑶文化部落”，乡村运营师、民宿管家热情接待远道而来的游客，“山货”山苍子变成游客青睐的精油、枕头……在清远连山壮族瑶族自治县，一幅环境优美、产业兴旺、百姓安居乐业的乡村振兴美好画卷徐徐铺开。

打破发展空间限制

连山永和镇石坪村村民文妹姣今年多了一个新身份——乡村民宿管家。在“家门口”上班的她，负责村里出租民宿的日常管理，工资收入还不错。“在村里就能上班赚钱，比以前耕种‘看天吃饭’好多了。”文妹姣笑着说。

这样的转变，得益于连山“三地活化”改革探索。

石坪村经济合作社从农户手中有偿整合土地资源，统一流转租赁给专业运营公司。运营公司采用“OECPF”（工程施工设计+采购+施工+维护）模式，对农村“三块地”进行开发运营，并对现有民宿、壮瑶医药馆等进行招商，发展共享民宿、共享农业、数字农业等新业态。这样一来，投资经营团队不直接与村民洽谈及签订协议，不仅可以避免土地流转后出现遗留问题，还可以发挥统一规划运营优势，推动乡村业态产业化、规模化发展。

连山盘活石坪村内闲置旧民居，对周边田园及环村水系进行整体打造，把民族、非遗、特色农业等元素融入建设布局，打造集文化部落、民宿乡宿、瑶医瑶浴、特色餐饮、休闲运动、文创农业、自驾旅居车营地等功能于一体的乡村旅游项目，大力推介壮瑶文化和民族风情旅游资源，推动“农文旅体康”深度融合发展。

据统计，2023年石坪村接待县内外游客超6万人次，实现营业收入136万元，带动村集体经济增收近20万元。

激活发展内生动力

激发乡村发展内生动力，才能让乡村振兴好景常在。连山通过“培训当地百姓、做好本地化服务、增加原住民技能”，打造“经营型乡村”，形成长效联农带农惠农富农机制。

山苍子是我国南方特有的香料，也是连山人熟悉的“山货”。2014年，壮族女企业家覃春晖回到家乡连山创业，成立了连山壮瑶宝生态产业开发有限公司（以下简称“壮瑶宝”），从事山苍子种植、加工。如今，壮瑶宝已初步形成集生产、参观、体验、科普于一体的综合性展示馆，还试点种植优质品种山苍子树，为推进山苍子优质品种人工种植积累经验。

壮瑶宝的发展是连山山苍子产业发展的一个缩影。近年来，连山因地制宜，通过举办招商推介会、与省林科院签订“3+1”结对帮扶框架协议以及培育山苍子产业新型林业经营主体等举措，积极推动山苍子产业发展。目前，连山岭南民族特色高质量发展廊道－连山山苍子种植示范基地建设项目已入库和立项，并落地实施。

“我们将积极谋划打造山苍子种植基地及其农产品加工基地，健全一二三产业融合发展产业体系，争取岭南民族特色高质量发展廊道壮瑶风情体验路线上开满山苍子花。”连山相关负责人介绍。

文｜记者 李程 通讯员 李细妹 李先觉 刘诗丽
译｜肖凯欣
英文审校｜赵凡