[A City for All] Beyond the Rat Race: New Lives on Shanghai's Rural Edges

A morning market, a converted factory, and a waterway dubbed "Shanghai's Little Amazon" – new lives are taking shape across Shanghai's rural districts. For a growing number of newcomers, the countryside is no longer a place to retire but a place to begin again.

Becoming the new islanders

Liu Yuwei's day usually begins with a visit to the local market. He moves with ease from stall to stall, picking out the ingredients he needs.

Liu runs a restaurant called Harmony Garden on Chongming Island, about an hour's drive from downtown Shanghai. Although most of his ingredients are supplied, he still prefers to check the market himself, looking for fresher ingredients or new ideas for the menu.

In 2015, Liu moved to Shanghai from Changhua Town in Taiwan. Five years later, facing a career transition, he decided to follow his wife, who was already working on Chongming Island, and opened his fusion restaurant on the island.

"At the beginning, I didn't think too much about it. I just felt like I was heading to the countryside," Liu recalled. Six years on, his team has grown from four or five people to more than a dozen.

Liu finds the greatest joy in running a restaurant by engaging in conversations with guests from diverse backgrounds. He sees his place as a kind of "living room connecting the two sides of the Taiwan Strait" – maps and decorations on the walls tell stories of Taiwan, while diners bring their own experiences to the table.

Many of his customers, like Liu himself, are "new islanders" who have chosen to settle on Chongming. Some are drawn by the slower pace of life; others are looking for a more relaxed place for themselves or their parents. Chongming, in many ways, offers space for that kind of life.

Located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, Chongming is China's third-largest island. It is regarded as an ecological retreat and is now part of Shanghai's push to build a world-class eco-island.

Compared with the downtown area, it is less bustling, but everyday amenities have steadily improved. In recent years, more restaurants, supermarkets and other services have opened, making long-term living more viable.

At the same time, its ecological and cultural appeal continues to grow. Birdwatching in Dongtan Wetlands, the Shanghai Yangtze River Half Marathon, and the island's cycling race have all drawn visitors, offering new ways for people to experience rural life.

The environment for small businesses has also become more accommodating for those who choose to stay and build something here.

Liu said that recently, administrative procedures have become noticeably more streamlined. Local authorities often guide permits and qualifications, helping entrepreneurs navigate the process more efficiently.

"In the past, it could be quite complicated, with a lot of paperwork and long waiting times," he said. "Now, as long as everything is within legal and regulatory requirements, they try to find more practical ways to help us get things done."

Breathing new life into old villages

Chongming is not the only place experiencing such changes. Shanghai has been advancing rural revitalization, exploring new ways to integrate urban and rural development in a megacity. Many traditional villages are being reactivated with new energy.

Zhu Lin and Ma Sicong were drawn to Cenbu Village in Qingpu District by its waterways and forests. Both studied in Italy and later worked in central Shanghai. Passionate about outdoor activities, they used to spend weekends driving out of the city, looking for a break from the fast pace of urban life.

They discovered Cenbu while kayaking. The village is crisscrossed by waterways connected to Dianshan Lake and the broader Taihu basin. Lined with dense greenery, the area is sometimes dubbed "Shanghai's Little Amazon."

It is also the only place in the city known to host both terrestrial and aquatic fireflies. From Cenbu, one can paddle all the way to the historic town of Jinze, passing old bridges and traditional architecture. At dusk, the lake glows under a striking sunset.

Zhu and Ma rented a small courtyard house facing water and turned it into an art space that also serves light meals. They hope to create a place where people who share a love of nature and outdoor life can slow down and unwind.

"This place feels like another side of Shanghai," Zhu said. "We'll be talking, and suddenly a white egret flies right over our heads."

"In the city, you don't always notice what's happening around you," she added. "But here, you lose track of time. You feel more relaxed, and you pay more attention to the people and the environment around you."

Building on its strong ecological foundation, Cenbu Village began introducing outside investment in recent years under a "whole-village operation" model, revitalizing idle spaces and giving old structures new life.

Water-based activities like kayaking, along with cultural and creative venues, have attracted a growing number of new residents, including ecologists, designers, and outdoor enthusiasts. An abandoned school has been turned into a café, while a former hardware factory now houses a tea space.

Zhang Jimeng moved from the city to open a bar in the village. The space used to be a run-down factory building. For Ni Xingqi, an 83-year-old carpenter and lifelong resident of Cenbu, it was something he never imagined would become a stylish venue.

"He told me what was done right and what wasn't," Zhang said of Ni. "He'd say, 'This will cost you unnecessarily; that's a waste of money' – he was very direct."

The arrival of new residents has also begun to reshape life for longtime villagers. As the village's revitalization progressed, changes became visible in more tangible ways.

According to a report by Guangming Daily, new jobs have been created, allowing many residents to work close to home. Annual rental income from village houses has risen from 20,000–30,000 yuan (US$3,000-4,400) to about 90,000 yuan, and average per capita income has reached around 40,000 yuan.

For Zhu and Ma, the decision to stay is tied to something simple.

"As long as the forest outside our door is still there, we plan to stay," Zhu said. "We really value the environment here."