Growing tourism gives Shandong's ancient villages new lease of life

JINAN — Walking along the quiet, mottled flagstone paths of Wubu village in East China's Shandong province, visitors are greeted by an architectural tapestry of stone walls and gray tiles that reveal six centuries of history.

"We were instantly captivated by the ancient alleys and century-old courtyards," said Li Fanghua, a tourist from Jinan, the provincial capital. After snapping a family portrait in a traditional alley, she shared the experience with friends on social media.

Located in the city of Feicheng, Wubu is renowned for its unique architectural style, a layout characterized by "gates within gates and courtyards within courtyards". The stone walls, built using a traditional dry-stacking technique that requires no mortar, have stood firm for generations.

However, the village's beauty was once hidden by decay. "Before the renovation, the mud roads were bumpy and the alleys were cluttered with debris," said 68-year-old villager Li Mingjun.

To bring the traditional village back to life, local authorities prioritized protective construction. According to Liang Yisheng, director of the Feicheng housing and urban-rural development bureau, the government has renovated over 50 old courtyards while preserving their original appearance.

The efforts were coupled with infrastructure upgrades, including optimized communication networks, drainage systems and new visitor centers.

Wubu is one example of Shandong's broader efforts to balance conservation and development. The province is home to 168 national-level and 378 provincial-level traditional villages.

In Shizikou village, located at the foot of the ancient sections of the Great Wall of China in Jinan's Zhangqiu district, conservation has taken a creative turn. A miniature steam train carries tourists through mountain gullies, offering a unique view of stone houses and the ruins of the Great Wall, dating back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC).

"By digging deep into the culture of the Great Wall and our stone house heritage, we have created unique tourism IPs such as study tours and 'nostalgia markets'," said Jia Zhen, a local official.

On the Jiaodong Peninsula, Yandunjiao village in Rongcheng offers a different aesthetic. Here, seaweed-roofed houses with stone walls and thick seaweed thatch draw crowds. The village has developed an eco-tourism model in which visitors can watch swans in winter and stay in traditional seaweed houses all year.

According to Dong Zhaosheng, director of Rongcheng's culture and tourism bureau, tourism is shifting from quick sightseeing to "deep experiences", with many visitors staying for two to three days at a time.

The tourism boom is delivering tangible economic benefits. In 2025, Wubu village's collective income exceeded 1 million yuan ($147,000), while Shizikou village's income surpassed 500,000 yuan.

During the recent five-day May Day holiday, 200 key tourist attractions in Shandong received over 26.15 million visits, generating 1.27 billion yuan in revenue, up 5.3 percent and 4.0 percent year-on-year, respectively, according to provincial authorities.

"We are now pushing forward with high-end homestay clusters and farming experience parks," said Guo Qingfu, a local official in Sunbo township that administers Wubu village. "The goal is to ensure more villagers can find stable livelihoods right at their doorsteps."