Speaker: Mei Zhang, founder of WildChina

The past few decades of economic growth has impacted China’s countryside, characterised by the mass migration of people to cities and metroplexes that represent wealth, aspiration, and greater opportunities.

While there is a prevailing image amongst many urbanites of the countryside as being disconnected and stagnant, attitudinal shifts and growing mobility instigated by Covid-19 are transforming these views.

In the penultimate episode of the series, we examine China’s young people returning to nature in the short and long term seeking adventure, solace, and escapism from their working city lives.