From a 'sea of death' to a land of opportunity

Detailed summary

The grasslands were often described as a "sea of death". "Beneath the flowers lurked bogs that could swallow a man in a minute," wrote Harrison Salisbury in The Long March: The…

Luo Lan first came to Hongyuan in Sichuan province by chance, only to find that its landscape reminded her of Scotland, where she had studied.

In 2021, she visited the county with fellow alumni for a charity project. Having studied in Glasgow, United Kingdom, she felt an immediate connection. The warmth and sincerity of the local people also left a lasting impression.

Located in Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture, Hongyuan county was named in memory of the Long March. Its name evokes the Red Army's crossing of the grasslands.

The grasslands were often described as a "sea of death". "Beneath the flowers lurked bogs that could swallow a man in a minute," wrote Harrison Salisbury in The Long March: The Untold Story.

Today, Hongyuan has numerous monuments and memorial halls commemorating the Red Army. The county has also developed tourism around its expansive grasslands to help farmers and herders increase their incomes.

Luo became part of that transformation. A year after her first visit, while working for a real estate company, she spotted an opportunity to develop a hotel featuring movable wooden cabins.

Elevated on stilts, the structures were designed to minimize damage to the grassland, she said.

Starting with just five rooms, the hotel quickly gained popularity, with bookings filling up throughout its first travel season.

"The land attracts travelers from far and wide who want to experience a slower pace of life," Luo said. "Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, they can enjoy the vastness and tranquility of the grasslands, the wind, the starry sky and the sunset."

Opening of the article, excerpted from China Daily Business. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.