A few years ago, a young couple quit their jobs in a big city, and came to a shared community in Guangzhong Village to start their new life.
Named AnotherCommunity, the shared community is an independent living community where people with similar interests and beliefs choose to live together.
It's been nine months since 30-year-old Yang Zhaoyu moved here. He was once a software developer in the eastern city of Suzhou.
His reasons for moving were quite simple. "I just wanted to completely give up my old life, or find a totally new way of life. And the most important thing isn't about living in the city or in the countryside, but rather a change in your heart. So the inner change, like personal practice, is the key point." said Yang, a member of AnotherCommunity.
Yang's new community was founded by Tang Guanhua and his wife, Xing Zhen, five years ago.
It now has five permanent members.
"We came to this place around 2015 and started to explore sustainable ways of living. We hope to make such a community a model of our ideal life, and a model of collective life. Here you can try the life you want to live. Also you can try to find out what you really want and what kind of life you want to pursue. This is the reason we want to do it here together," said Tang Guanhua, Co-founder of Another Community.
Fast-paced lifestyles, high housing prices and high-pressure work environments have become too much for many Chinese, who just want to find an escape valve.
Rice paddies turn yellow at a village. /CGTN Photo
Some have returned to their hometowns, while others have flocked to smaller cities.
The founding couple understand that their lifestyle isn't exactly mainstream, but they're excited by the challenge.
"We may have to take 10 to 20 years to do such an experiment. We want to see how we can live a life with low expenditure, low desires and low emissions without thresholds as long as everyone's willing to. People can come here and see how to live together in such a place," said Xing Zhen, co-founder of AnotherCommunity and Tang's wife.
The commune is now open to the public for a four-month trial.
Since October, over 20 potential residents – from former computer programmers to online English teachers and freelance videographers – have signed up to join.
Many people have been quick to criticize the life choice, saying it lacks ambition and is influencing society in a negative way.
But Wang Zhenxing, member of AnotherCommunity disagrees.
"Actually I think we face bigger challenges after coming here. So that's why many people don't last long. That is to say, it is more complicated and more difficult to survive in this place than living in the city. In fact, you need a lot of strength every day to build a future. So I think it's a bit difficult. Sometimes, in some aspects, it is okay to say that this is a Buddhist style of life. But I think it is still a positive attitude for life."