Ancient crop brings tourism boom to village in NW China's Shaanxi

Aerial view of newly planted buckwheat in Yukou village, Jiujianfang township, Lantian county, Xi'an city, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

A village in northwest China has transformed its centuries-old buckwheat fields into a tourist attraction, boosting local incomes and revitalizing its economy.

Yukou village, located in Jiujianfang township, Lantian county, Xi'an city, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, has grown buckwheat for over 200 years.

In the spring of 2021, villagers in Yukou, which is situated on the northern slopes of the Qinling Mountains, planted buckwheat on nearly 200 mu (13 hectares) of barren mountain slopes. When the buckwheat flowered, it created a stunning visual spectacle that quickly became an internet sensation, attracting tourists from Xi'an and surrounding areas.

Buckwheat flowers bloom in Yukou village, Jiujianfang township, Lantian county, Xi'an city, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Encouraged by this success, the villagers expanded the buckwheat planting area to 300 mu by transforming more barren slopes, renovating poor-yielding farmland, and transferring land use rights. This year, the total area dedicated to buckwheat planting has surpassed 1,000 mu in the village.

In 2022, Shaanxi Province initiated a broader project to restore the ecology of the Qinling Mountains' northern slopes, including Yukou village. This initiative has further supported the village's efforts in ecological restoration and agricultural development.

Tourists photograph a sea of buckwheat flowers in Yukou village, Jiujianfang township, Lantian county, Xi'an city, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

"We plant buckwheat twice a year. Since early spring, lines of tourist vehicles have stretched for several kilometers,” said Lin Pengtao, Party chief of Yukou village. “With this latest planting, visitors can come to see the flowers around November."

Lin added that the village's annual collective income now stands at about 1.8 million yuan ($255,274), with villagers' average income doubling each year.

Buckwheat coffee served at a shop in Yukou village, Jiujianfang township, Lantian county, Xi'an city, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Li)

The once-abandoned land now hosts buckwheat fields, creating scenic views and economic opportunities. Villagers have opened B&Bs and campsites, developing rural tourism.

Lei Na, a local, returned to work at a village coffee shop. She said they sell up to 100 cups daily, especially during the blooming season.

Enthusiastic villagers are developing a range of buckwheat products, including wine, vinegar and tea, as well as innovative items like coffee and ice cream.

Buckwheat flowers in full bloom in Yukou village, Jiujianfang township, Lantian county, Xi'an city, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Shaanxi has restored 31,916 hectares of land and 592 kilometers of river courses in this project. It has improved the ecosystem of mountains, water, forests and fields, connecting over 70 villages and establishing an ecological industry.