Rural markets charm new generation

"It's no longer just about protecting tradition. It's about using it. Young people aren't just admiring sorghum straw mats or seafood stews; they're buying them, sharing them online, and making them part of their own lives," said Fang.

Cheng Huanjuan, 35, an inheritor of haixian huibing, brings that philosophy to her stall. As she stirfries ingredients, a phone mounted on a tripod broadcasts her cooking live to thousands of viewers.

"I'm not just selling food," she said, her voice raised over the wok's clatter. "I'm telling the story behind it, such as how my grandmother taught me; how we've kept the recipe unchanged for decades."

"Livestreaming attracts tourists, but more importantly, it lets young people connect with the craft," Cheng said.

With more and more people visiting rural markets, young people are also seeking business opportunities at them.

Wang Xinyi, 30, who married into a family in Poli town in 2025, saw the Poli market as an opportunity.

"The stall fee at the market is affordable," she said.

Wang uses the market as a showcase to build a following for her coffee through in-person sales and social media. "We're not here for a romantic encounter. Instead, we're here to start businesses," she said.

At the Quchaihe market in Jilin, Song Wenxin, who was born in the 1990s, uses a phone to livestream sales of local specialties including dried fungus and wild honey.

He worked in Tianjin for years, but when he saw videos of his hometown's specialties going viral, he quit his job and returned. "I sell about 60($8.64) to 70 yuan worth a day at the market," he said, adding that online sales bring an extra revenue of 800 to 1,000 yuan a month.

"Young people can accept rough stalls, but they can't accept inconvenience," said Shen Lei, a staff member from the Poli township government's economic development office.

Upgrade efforts

To keep up with the young crowd, Poli market added over 720 parking spaces last year, provided clean mobile toilets, and boosted the 5G signal. "Livestreaming needs good internet," Shen said. "If their videos buffer, they won't come back."

Liubu market's overhaul has been even more comprehensive.

"The government invested in these renovations. For instance, the pavers melt snow quickly and don't hold water," said Wen from the Liubu subdistrict office, pointing to the brick-paved ground of the market.

Since 2017, local authorities have spent over 7 million yuan on greening, paving and dividing Liubu market into separate food, crafts, and fresh produce zones. Last year, they added a basketball court, a football field, and a tennis court next to the market.

"Our goal is to turn the market from a mere trading place into a complex where you can shop for snacks, try traditional crafts, play sports with friends, view nearby scenery and stay at a nearby homestay. It's about integrating food, accommodation, travel, shopping, and entertainment," said Wen.

In Quchaihe town, the results of investment are already clear. The market has seen annual visitor growth of over 35 percent for three consecutive years, with transaction volume in 2025 surpassing 1 million yuan, more than double that of the previous year, said Yuan Xiaoping, deputy Party secretary of the town.

"We're linking the market with nearby ski resorts and red leaf valleys. Visitors can come for the market, stay for the scenery, and learn about our culture," said Yuan.

Visiting rural markets isn't just nostalgia, but a selective return, said observers.

"Young people aren't embracing tradition blindly. Instead, they come with modern consumption concepts. They value experiences, take photos to share on social media, and feel a sense of cultural identity," said Fang, the publicity official. "They're looking for the emotional value of rural markets, such as the warmth of chatting with a vendor, the joy of watching food being made, the connection to something bigger than themselves."

Xu Baofeng, a professor at Beijing Language and Culture University, offered a broader perspective.

These markets aren't a nostalgic utopia. They're an evolving socioeconomic interface, a place where traditional trading collides with livestreaming dynamics, where old crafts meet young tastes, and where rural and urban cultures adapt to each other, he said.

"It is amid these collisions that new possibilities are emerging," said Xu.

Zhang Liying, Fang Yingjie and Han Junhong contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at zhaoruixue@chinadaily.com.cn