Looking beyond the view

That openness is also reflected in the name — Sense Of — which Huang sees less as a fixed concept than as something visitors can interpret for themselves.

His next step is to take that sensibility beyond the existing spaces. He plans to expand into art, including a gallery or museum, while developing photography and paintings based on Pingtan's landscape. He also hopes to turn those visual elements into products visitors can take home, and eventually bring more of the experience online.

Rather than starting with a standard tourism formula and fitting the landscape into it, Huang has begun with what he finds meaningful about Pingtan and building a business around it.

That approach is appearing in other parts of the county too, as cafes, bookstores, workshops, handicraft shops, and homestays bring new reasons to visit communities once known mainly for their scenery and traditional architecture.

For Chen Ziliang, the same evolution is taking place offshore.

The longer-term goal, Chen says, is not to simply put more people on yachts, but to make time spent at sea part of an ordinary holiday in Pingtan.

"We hope to move from yacht experiences toward a yacht lifestyle," he says.

Contact the writer at yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn