Simola village: Where rural vitalization meets everyday happiness

When people think of China's rapid modernization, images of towering skyscrapers, high-speed railways, and bustling megacities often come to mind. Yet some of the country's most meaningful transformations are taking place far from the urban skyline. They are unfolding quietly in rural communities where development is measured not only by economic growth but also by the quality of everyday life.

I made my way to Simola village in Tengchong city, Yunnan province, nestled near China's southwestern border. Simola is a 500-year-old village inhabited primarily by the Va ethnic community. In the Va language, "Simola" means "a place of happiness". The name itself reflects an aspiration that has gradually become reality.

Once known as a remote and economically disadvantaged village, Simola has evolved into a lively destination where culture, tourism, and local entrepreneurship have combined to create new opportunities for its residents. Walking through the village, I was not simply visiting a tourist attraction. I was witnessing a story of transformation rooted in ordinary lives.

My first impression was not shaped by grand buildings or luxurious facilities. Instead, it was the rhythm of village life that captured my attention. Traditional Va music echoed through the village, creating a heartbeat that welcomed visitors into Simola's sweet life. The atmosphere was warm rather than commercial, lively without losing its authenticity. It was evident that tourism had become part of daily life instead of replacing it.

What makes Simola remarkable is not that it has become famous, but how that popularity has been managed. Many rural communities around the world struggle with declining populations as young people migrate to cities in search of work. Simola presents a different picture. As tourism has grown, villagers have discovered that economic opportunities can exist within their own community.

Today, many families operate small restaurants, food stalls, souvenir shops, and homestays directly from their homes. Visitors are greeted with locally produced agricultural products, handmade crafts, and traditional Va snacks that reflect the village's cultural heritage.

Rather than relying on outside investors or large corporations, much of the village's economic activity is driven by local residents. Entrepreneurship has literally arrived at their doorsteps.

This seemingly simple shift has profound implications. Instead of leaving home to earn a living, many villagers can remain close to their families while earning stable incomes. Their homes have become both living spaces and workplaces. Economic development, therefore, has not come at the cost of community life but has strengthened it.

The transformation began with something as basic as a road. Government investment of over 22 million yuan ($3.2 million) brought electricity, drainage, and paved pathways to every household.

Cultural plazas, exhibition halls, and viewing platforms were built. But infrastructure alone would not have changed the village's fate. The real shift came when residents were given a reason to stay and a way to benefit from the changes unfolding around them.

In June 2020, the Simola Happy Va Village Tourism Cooperative was established, adopting a "Party Branch + Company + Cooperative + Household" framework.

Under this arrangement, the administrative village holds 10 percent of shares, the natural village 41 percent, and the 60 local households collectively hold 49 percent. This ensured that every family had a direct stake in the village's tourism development.

The cooperative model created multiple income streams. Land was consolidated and rented to agricultural enterprises for higher-value crops such as rapeseed, with a guaranteed annual rent of 1,000 yuan per mu.

Beyond this baseline, villagers receive dividends from cooperative profits. Over the past five years, total dividends have reached 939,000 yuan. The cooperative also manages commercial spaces, with rental income from shops exceeding 600,000 yuan in 2025 alone.

Perhaps the most visible indicator of Simola's success is the number of residents who have chosen to return home rather than leave for work.

Between 2019 and 2025, the number of villagers working away from home dropped from 80 to just 8. Meanwhile, 118 of the village's 159 able-bodied workers now find employment within the community. Its tourism appeal has continued to rise, with 630,000 tourists visiting in 2025, an increase of over 46 percent compared to 430,000 in 2024.

Per capita disposable income rose from 11,448 yuan in 2019 to 27,398 yuan in 2025, with over 50 percent now coming from service industries. Local businesses have multiplied — shops grew from 3 to 71, farmhouse restaurants from 1 to 10, and guesthouses appeared for the first time, reaching 5.

Then there is Li Fashun, whose story carries a different kind of weight. Injured in a car accident that nearly left him disabled.

He spent months in recovery, uncertain about his future. Li rebuilt his life by opening a rice cake-making workshop in his home's courtyard.

Today, his rice cake workshop has become a favourite stop for visitors. Using traditional wooden moulds, he makes rice cakes that tourists can try.

On busy weekends, he sells hundreds. His family's annual net income has climbed to roughly 150,000 yuan. When I asked him what changed, he pointed to the village around him. "People came," he said. "And we had something to offer them."

Throughout my visit, I found myself reflecting on an important lesson.

Development is often discussed in terms of impressive statistics, investment figures, or infrastructure projects. Those indicators certainly matter.

However, the true success of development ultimately depends on whether it improves people's daily lives. Simola demonstrates that prosperity can be measured by smaller yet deeply meaningful changes.

A family that no longer worries about unstable income.

Elderly parents who can stay close to their children. Young people who choose to remain in their hometown instead of migrating elsewhere. Streets filled with visitors who appreciate local traditions rather than replacing them. These are the kinds of changes that statistics alone cannot fully capture.

Equally impressive is Simola's approach to preserving cultural identity. Across many parts of the world, modernization sometimes places traditional cultures at risk. Commercial development can gradually erode local customs until villages begin to resemble one another. Simola appears to have pursued a different path.

The Va ethnic culture remains visible throughout the village. Traditional architecture, local cuisine, music, dance, clothing, and community customs continue to play central roles in village life.

Visitors are attracted precisely because the village retains its cultural uniqueness rather than abandoning it. In this sense, tourism has created incentives for cultural preservation rather than cultural replacement.

This balance between economic development and cultural continuity deserves attention. Culture has become not merely a symbol of the past but an active contributor to present-day livelihoods. The village effectively embodies the "cultural code" of the Va community while embracing modern opportunities. Its story is one of continuity rather than contradiction.

Another aspect worth noting is the emotional dimension of development.

During conversations and observations, what stood out most was not material wealth but a sense of confidence among local residents. They appeared proud of their village, optimistic about their future, and willing to share their traditions with visitors.

Such confidence cannot be created overnight. It gradually emerges as people begin to see tangible improvements in their quality of life.

The village's experience suggests that rural vitalization does not always require massive industrialization. Sometimes the most effective approach is to identify local strengths, preserve cultural heritage, improve infrastructure, encourage community participation, and create opportunities for small-scale entrepreneurship.

Tourism alone is not a universal solution, but when carefully planned and locally managed, it can generate employment while protecting cultural identity.

Walking through Simola, I realized that true happiness often grows quietly. It does not necessarily emerge from spectacular achievements but from small, consistent improvements that gradually reshape people's lives.

A once remote border village has become known to travelers. That popularity has created livelihoods. Those livelihoods have allowed families to remain together. In turn, those stable communities have preserved the homes, traditions, and cultural identity that make Simola unique.

This sequence is remarkably simple: development created opportunity, opportunity strengthened livelihoods, and secure livelihoods protected the community itself. Happiness, after all, is most enduring when it grows naturally from everyday life.

Mohammad Saiyedul Islam, PhD, is a senior lecturer and researcher in the School of Overseas Education (School of Foreign Languages) at Sanming University in East China's Fujian province, and a senior research fellow at the Daffodil International University Belt and Road Research Centre in Bangladesh.