From dusty fields to lavender dreams: Xinjiang village transformed to glow

Tucked away in the Ili River Valley in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the village of Sigong once struggled to survive. The soil here was thin, rocky and poor for farming. Yields were low, income was meager and the village streets were quiet except for the elderly and children. Most young people left to work in faraway cities.

Everything began to change in 2009, when the village began planting lavender as an experiment. The purple blossoms didn't just brighten the landscape, they brought a new future. Lavender earned far more than traditional crops, sparking enthusiasm to plant more.

By 2017, over 95 percent of the village's farmland was covered with lavender.

The transformation didn't stop there. In 2019, the village embraced a "slow life" model of tourism. Homestays opened, cafes popped up, and small restaurants began welcoming visitors eager to experience the lavender fields. Tourists soon gave the beautiful village a nickname – Huanghuang ­– a name that literally means "full of sunshine."

As the tourism industry developed, many young people returned home, and even women who had never worked outside before found jobs just steps from their doors.

Today, the village boasts an economy that blends farming, processing, tourism and hospitality. Once a relatively poor rural community, the village of Sigong is now a vibrant, fragrant destination – proving that with the right idea, even rocky soil can grow something extraordinary.

(All photos via CGTN)