Lavender industry booms in Xinjiang

Once underdeveloped and isolated, Sigong village in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has become a "blooming paradise "attracting millions of visitors.

Previously, the farmlands had shallow soil and were full of stones, leading to low crop production. A decade ago, villagers discovered that the semidesert climate in their valley was perfect for lavender to flourish.

Since then, each household has been cultivating lavender. They also produce dried flowers, essential oils and other products, turning lavender planting into a local industry.

The village has a lavender planting base covering 800 hectares. Huocheng county, where the village is located, is recognized as one of the world's three major lavender planting bases, along with Provence in France and Furano in Hokkaido, Japan.

At the end of 2018, the village decided to expand its industrial chain to promote agri-entertainment and the homestay economy.

Li Zengjie, Party chief of the county's Lucaogou town, led a team to study the domestic homestay business, and young entrepreneurs were also invited to establish businesses in Sigong. Tian Qunying, from Hunan province, is the owner of the first guesthouse established in the village.

"In 2018, I visited the village and was captivated by the poetic and romantic vast lavender fields," she said.

Starting with a 500,000 yuan ($68,900) investment, Tian opened a small guesthouse with six rooms and managed to recover her initial capital in just four months.

Seeing the potential of the homestay economy, the local government increased financial support and established a specialized service group to assist potential investors, while continuously improving infrastructure and public services to attract more newcomers. In 2019, 20 guesthouses opened in the village.

An increasing number of distinct guesthouses in the village combine pastoral charm, ethnic features and modern fashion elements.

The local industry not only brings wealth but also provides a leisurely lifestyle for locals and visitors. And that's why the village is more commonly known as "Huanghuang village", which can be interpreted as "enjoy a slow-paced life".