From passersby to residents

A new trade path

Dunhuang was once a crucial trading hub on the ancient Silk Road. Centuries later, 30-year-old Li Peng is following a similar path.

In 2013, Li left his hometown of Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong province with the dream of becoming a wandering singer and backpacker around the world. That same year, he visited Dunhuang for the first time. Drawn to the city's rich cultural heritage, Li returned in 2015 and decided to settle there.

For the past decade, Li has maintained this lifestyle: spending summers in Dunhuang and traveling abroad each winter.

"It's like being a migratory bird," he joked.

To support his travels, Li began selling artifacts collected during his global adventures at Dunhuang's lively night market.

"The products that were once transported by camel caravans along the ancient Silk Road are now brought back in my backpack or through modern logistics," Li said. "In the future, I hope to bring Chinese goods to the Middle East and Europe."

Another young entrepreneur, 27-year-old Wang Rui, is bringing new opportunities to Dunhuang with modern social media.

In late 2019, a year after graduating from Xi'an International University in Shaanxi, Wang returned to Dunhuang, her hometown, to start her own business, using livestreaming to promote local products.

"The tourism industry in Dunhuang is well-developed, but other sectors lag behind those in larger cities. It requires a lot of experimentation," Wang said.

She explained that Dunhuang's remote location leads to higher logistics costs, and many local business owners tend to work independently, not fully realizing the power of communication and collaboration.

Despite these challenges, Wang has successfully expanded her livestreaming business and her influence.

She founded the Dunhuang E-commerce Association with support from the local government. As its president, Wang has helped connect small, scattered business owners, reducing logistics costs and increasing profit potential.

Though her journey has been difficult, Wang's sincerity and persistence are beginning to make a noticeable difference in Dunhuang's business environment.

"Compared to many established business owners, I'm still very young, but over time, local people have come to see the positive impact of my work on our hometown's growth. Gradually, I've gained their trust," she said.