Driving along the country roads of Jiangbei Town, Changsha County, the clear waters of Tianxi Lake come into view, with sightseeing boats drifting across the surface as passengers raise their phones to capture the scenery. Nearby, several guesthouses converted from idle homes stand in neat arrangement, and the aroma of coffee from the Yin Xiaoyu Tea & Coffee House blends with the mellow fragrance of spirits drifting from the distant Magujing Wine Cellar.

This is Yinshan Village, known as the 'Top Village in the Three Xiang Region.' Having long ago joined the ranks of '100-million-yuan villages,' it was once a famous 'cement town.' As times changed, the question arose: how could the village regain its vitality? Yinshan Village found its answer in the integration of agriculture, culture, and tourism.

'We tried tourism before, but it was scattered and ineffective—sights were fragmented and visitors never stayed,' explained Guo Wang, Secretary of the Yinshan Village Party Branch. 'The change began with a new blueprint.' The village brought in a professional team to implement a comprehensive cultural tourism plan structured around 'one axis, three points, and five zones,' centering on the ecological scenery of Tianxi Lake as the main artery. This plan connects three key resources—the Red Culture heritage site of Xiong Jin-ding's Former Residence, the intangible cultural heritage of Magujing Wine Cellar, and the specialty agriculture of Hanniu Ranch—while linking five beautiful livable village demonstration areas. Scattered landmarks, resources, and communities were threaded together like pearls on a string, creating a layout where 'every step reveals a new view and the entire area is open for exploration.'

Infrastructure development came first once the plan was set. Roads, lighting, and water systems were gradually improved, breathing new life into idle rural resources and aging village landscapes. Strolling along Tianxi Lake, one frequently encounters tour groups of middle-aged and elderly visitors. 'On holidays, the village sees even more tourists,' Guo Wang said, pointing to a lakeside building. This structure, Tianxi Pavilion, repurposed idle assets to include dining and guesthouse facilities, and since opening in May, it has welcomed an ever-growing number of visitors.

Knowing that even the finest wine needs marketing, Yinshan Village developed a creative promotional system combining 'online traffic generation with offline event monetization.' Online, it partnered with mainstream media and short-video platforms, hosted filming for popular variety shows and martial arts micro-films, and regularly conducted live-streamed tours of scenic spots. Tianxi Lake, Longquan Ancient Well, and the Courtyard on the Lake quickly became viral check-in destinations. Offline, the village rolled out seasonal immersive events including rapeseed flower festivals, rural sports meets, garden parties, and square dance competitions. Today, Yinshan Tianxi Lake ranks first in popularity among natural scenic spots in Changsha County, with over 50,000 monthly searches online.

With traffic secured, the challenge became keeping visitors engaged, and a group of young innovators stepped in to introduce diverse new business formats and experiences, driving the village's transformation from an 'industrial powerhouse' to a 'cultural tourism destination.' Sightseeing boats, the Yin Xiaoyu Tea & Coffee House, and the Little Cow Run Petting Zoo are among the new attractions now in place. The village adopted a dual model of 'collective self-operation and cooperative co-building,' with short-term asset-light projects run directly by the village collective, including electric sightseeing vehicles, the Manxin Bistro, and youth hostels. Meanwhile, idle properties were repurposed into guesthouses such as Luo Family Elegant Court, Tianxi Pavilion Lodging, and Shuijing Mountain House, earning the village provincial designation as a 'Four 100s' guesthouse cluster in 2025.

The numbers confirm this remarkable turnaround. Since the beginning of 2026, the village has received over 600,000 visitors, fueling sustained growth in guesthouse stays, dining, and agricultural specialty sales. Local residents are reaping tangible benefits as well—job opportunities near home have multiplied, and free-range chickens, homegrown vegetables, and seasonal produce now go directly to guesthouses and restaurants, solving the age-old problem of finding buyers for farm goods.

Walking through the village, the cement factory that once symbolized its industrial glory still stands quietly, the Red Culture former residence preserves its historical lineage, the brewing craft of Magujing continues through generations, and the farmland cultivated by villagers remains as vibrant as ever. What hasn't changed is the rustic character and memories of time; what has been transformed is the village's appearance and economic model. Reflecting off the lake's rippling waters, old trees are putting forth new shoots—and the story of Yinshan Village goes on.