Daoxiang Village in Hotan County, Xinjiang develops characteristic cultural tourism

Daoxiang Village in Hotan County, Xinjiang develops characteristic cultural tourism

The fragrance of rice on the edge of the desert (big country and small village)

In Daoxiang Village, Baihe Town, Hotan County, Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang, the greenery fades and golden color spreads. Soon, thousands of acres of rice fields will usher in a bumper harvest.

Ayagedun, the former name of Daoxiang Village, means "the last sandbag" in Uyghur. Not far from the village is the Taklimakan Desert, which has been subject to wind and sand for a long time and was once surrounded by sand dunes five to six meters high. But it was not submerged by the sky full of yellow sand. Instead, it has a history of rice cultivation that has been passed down for hundreds of years, because the Karakash River and Yulongkash River near the village provide natural water sources for rice cultivation.

"In the past, the villagers planted rice in scattered areas. The planting level was uneven, and the overall output could not increase. It was basically only enough for self-sufficiency." Abdulrexiti Wufuer, secretary of the Party branch of Daoxiang Village, said that with the advancement of high-standard farmland construction, the village has reclaimed wasteland into arable land, leveled the cultivated land of different heights, and unified agricultural technology companies for large-scale and intensive planting, forming a concentrated contiguous rice field of 1,800 acres.

Through the selection of improved varieties and soil improvement, the rice yield per mu in Daoxiang Village has increased from about 300 kilograms to about 600 kilograms, forming the "Golden Silk Rice" brand. The increase in rice production, coupled with the increase in land transfer fees, has increased the village collective income by more than 1.1 million yuan every year. "The annual rent per acre is 600 yuan. Compared with villagers who plant their own crops, they can earn about 400 yuan more per acre per year." Abdulrexiti said that the villagers bid farewell to the traditional planting model with low output and low income. The concentrated contiguous rice fields that are rare on the edge of the desert have also become a highlight of rural tourism.

To develop rural tourism, construction funds, business planning, customer group positioning, infrastructure construction, etc. are all very important. What should we do if the village has no experience? In 2021, the Beijing Municipal Aid to Xinjiang Hotan Headquarters extended a helping hand, not only providing funds to aid Xinjiang, but also positioning Daoxiang Village as a pastoral complex folk culture village to develop a "rice field +" rural tourism format based on the characteristics of Daoxiang Village.

If you want tourists to be willing to come, the village must have both "face" and "lizi". The renovation of the living environment and the construction of infrastructure are carried out simultaneously, retaining the original flavor of local traditional houses, and tourists can immersively experience the lifestyle of local residents. Encouraged by visits by village cadres, villagers have given full play to their expertise and increased their income at home.

Walking into a farmhouse, under the grape trellis, Muhebaiti Saidi Maimaiti, who is over 50 years old, is smiling. After growing rice all her life, she never imagined that she could open a shop in her yard to make money.

After the rice fields were transferred, Muhebaiti was not idle. "My cousin's large-plate chicken shop in the county town was doing well, so we opened a shop at home to sell large-plate chicken and other specialties." Many customers came to the village to experience it after seeing the short videos taken by her cousin on social platforms.

"Most of the villagers have started catering, but rural tourism is not enough just by eating and drinking." Abdulrexiti said that the village has organized courtyard concerts to allow tourists to experience the melodious singing in pastoral life; it has built a public cultural space, Daoxiang Academy, which attracts many children and parents from the city on weekends and holidays; it has also introduced hot-air balloon sightseeing projects to add interest to rural tourism.

At the entrance of the village, an eye-catching art installation made of rice straws is visible. Walking through the village, you will find Daoxiang Road, Rice Field Road, Daohua Road, Rice Ear Road...the village roads have a strong "rice" flavor. "We interspersed the image of 'rice' in the village, hoping to enhance the brand recognition and influence of Daoxiang Village." Abdulrexiti said that after nearly five years of development, Daoxiang Village has become a well-known tourist village. It will receive about 35,000 tourists in 2025, and the per capita net income of villagers has increased from 9,800 yuan before the renovation to more than 14,800 yuan. The strong aroma of rice brings real popularity and profits.

Reporter: Shang Zhengrong

Source: People's Daily