What was once strictly defined as an hierarchical clan based society is now a cosmopolitan milieu of actors. Self-initiated small businesses include building homestays, operating antique shops, producing agricultural products and promoting cultural education. However, this level of self organization is hardly recognized and common development models lack mechanisms to enable or empower the community members. In order to unite these local efforts and elevate the actors to a collective entity, we have chosen to highlight the stories of several local entrepreneurs, all who are working to preserve cultural heritage and push forward a sustainable tertiary economy.

Click ︎ on an actor below to view their story. 

台山曾经的社区构成严格的基于氏族，而现在演变成了一个由当地各种力量组成的世界性大熔炉。其中包括民营小企业、民宿、古董店、小型农业单位和文化教育机构。但是此类参与者的发展难以形成网络，且这些常见的发展模式往往缺乏提升本土能力的机制。在本次项目中，我们重点采访了几位致力于保护文化遗产的本地企业家，希望通过他们的故事说明本土力量在推动台山长期的可持续经济发展中的重要性。

Haiping Wu


Current Residence
Tingjiang Market-village, Duanfen Town, Taishan

Birthplace
Taishan, China

Past Residence
Boston, USA

Occupation
Owns & operates the “Lemon Boat” jam shop

Favorite social gathering space
Cangdong Village & Tangkou Liyuan Park

“Nowadays, the market village is not only for local residents, tourists go there too.”

Mr. Wu was born in his family farm village in 1956. During the succeeding decades their village was invaded by the government six times, and eventually returned to them during the reform era. Mr. Wu traveled to Boston in the early 1990’s, where he worked in a Chinatown restaurant for 20 years before moving back to Tingjiang Village. Today, he runs Lemon Boat jam shop, processing and packaging locally sourced citrus products in the ground floor of the Qilou his grandfather built almost a century ago.

“Before the economic reform, our family began to make lemon jam, but stopped afterwards. So I’m just resuming our old business.”

“It floods from April to August, many times (1-2 times per month), the flood comes quickly but also recedes quickly.”


“I really enjoy the living condition here, the environment, air quality, and the people. Since I grew up here, I don’t feel the need to adapt to life in a big city.”

Chengtao Zhi

“Taishan has a deteriorating cultural matrix and an unpreserved fabric”


“The local sense of clanship and collective identity is diminishing”

Mr. Zhi first came to Taishan in 2002 as a tourist. Following successive visits he saw a general deterioration of the local architecture and history, and thus a huge opportunity to start a small business focusing on heritage and culture. He then moved to the area with his family a decade later, and with help from the government was able to start a homestay and antique shop. His aim now is to leverage the contextual culture into aiding the creation of a vibrant tourist economy.

“Duanfen Town and Tingjiang Village mainly relies on external media impetus, lacking the propaganda and promotion from local people and institutions.”

“Taishan has mountains, rivers, seas, streams and even grasslands. These natural resources are all within a radius of 20 miles but are known almost exclusively to the locals.”

Huixiang Zhao


Current Residence
Wangang Village, Sijiu Town, Taishan

Birthplace
Taishan, China

Past Residence
Guangzhou, China; Vancouver, Canada

Occupation
Owns & operates ‘Wanggang Diaolou’ homestay and restaurant

Favorite social gathering space
Wanggang Village

“My husband and I enjoy building with our own hands. We also hired villagers to work with us.”

Ms. Huixiang grew up in Taishan. She moved to Guangzhou to study, and eventually moved back to Taishan in 2014. Two years later, she opened the homestay focused on local heritage and supporting the local villagers. Occasionally she travels to Vancouver, Canada. In recent years Ms. Huixiang, with two partners, has founded Quaozhu Culture and Tourism LLC, hoping to develop more tourism business for Caoping Village. Today she continues to work with local governments to promote revitalization efforts including: environmental construction, tourist facilities, school renovations, public spaces, and a scenic boardwalk.

“Newcomers and local villagers should work together to promote economic growth for the village.”

“I often go to run on the greenway along the river in the morning.”

Jianlin Guo


Current Residence
Panyu District, Guangzhou

Birthplace
Guangzhou, China

Past Residence
Xian, China; Shenzhen, China

Occupation
Owns & operates ‘Sijui Shuyuan’ homestay and cultural education center

Favorite social gathering space
Sijiu Market-village

“We hope through promoting Chinese studies forward, people can find themselves. Today, many people have a lost sense of identity. Through educating culture and history, people can find their phoenix within.”

Ms. Guo studied architecture in Xi’an and subsequently in Guangzhou. During the early 2000’s she worked as a designer and project manager on projects across the PRD region, and across various typologies. In her work as an architect and entrepreneur, Ms. Guo focuses on Chinese culture and eastern medicine in particular.

“There is a need for bold village leaders to push things to happen.”