The Kazanqi Folk Tourism Area in the Old Town of Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, home to more than 300 historical buildings, with over 20,000 traditional courtyards, offered job opportunities for locals at their doorstep by developing a "courtyard economy."
Some residents set up dining tables under grape arbors, inviting tourists to bake Xinjiang's naan bread, while others offer unique local experiences in the "blue fairy tale town."
One of the interesting customs that tourists can experience at the tourism area is to tint eyebrows using Usman grass, a traditional Xinjiang herb.
Entizar Tayilijiang, a local resident, said that they have used Usman grass since childhood, and it helps eyebrows, eyelashes, and hair grow. Babies start using it just seven or 40 days after birth, she added.
"As kids, we loved to draw connected eyebrows. Mothers believed the distance between the brows showed how far away their daughters would marry. They hope we will not marry someone who lives too far away," she explained.
"Visitors' tickets often include these experience activities, so they can try this custom if they want. Sometimes, as many as 300 to 400 visitors come in a single day to experience it," said Entizar.
Instead of large-scale commercial projects, the local government encourages residents to run their own spaces while maintaining their daily lives.
"Welcoming tourists into courtyards to try different activities allows local residents to increase incomes," said Elyar Nurmamat, a tour guide at the tourism area.
So far, cultural tourism has created over 3,000 direct jobs for locals, and offered work opportunities to another 20,000.
Courtyard tourism creates job opportunities for Xinjiang
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
