Weihai's three second acts

"The environment had to improve first before we could attract visitors," says Qi Yuanyuan, who works with the center.

Today, Likoushan hosts over 140 agricultural and cultural tourism projects, from homestays to farm restaurants and cafes, giving visitors places to eat, stay and shop.

One standout is a red ginseng courtyard, home to a century-old well, a persimmon tree of the same age and a rare courtyard waterfall. "This summer we hit a record with over 1,000 visitors a day," says Lin Xuguang, the courtyard's manager.

Nearby, a bakery fires its oven with applewood and adds no eggs, milk, oil or sugar, so its bread tastes of pure wheat. A three-story cafe offers panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.

In 2025, Likoushan received 1.71 million visitors and generated nearly 85 million yuan in tourism revenue. During the first half of this year alone, that figure climbed to 45 million yuan, already outpacing the same period last year.

The steady influx of visitors has also given villagers a fresh market for their produce. Liu Juntong, 47, returned to the village to run her family's orchard. Her apples, grapes and pears are natural and sweet.