A different side to the cosmopolis

Ban Ri Xian, named after an ancient Chinese poem, is located on the idyllic Chongming Island in northwest Shanghai. This farm-style minsu offers guests the chance to experience rural life through activities such as planting rice seedlings, picking fruit, harvesting vegetables as well as fishing and watching birds.

Business has been brisk. Ban Ri Xian is always fully booked during the weekends, either by families or corporate team building groups.

The minsu, which is owned by Liu Haiqing, 45, has been singled out by the officials of the local Gangxi township as an exemplar of "rural vitalization" that others could follow. This rural vitalization strategy, proposed by President Xi Jinping at the 19th National Congress of the CPC a year ago, forms part of China's efforts to boost the development of rural areas through tourism.