An unusual activity, “happy rural life”, is gaining huge popularity among tourists in Hunan Province,according to latest issue of Beijing Review.

It gives city-dwellers the opportunity to live in a farmer's home, eating local food and doing farm work. The“happy rural life” has also attracted many foreign tourists.

Such a tourist activity is especially popular in the outskirts of Changsha City and around Hengshan Mountain. These“rural life” tourists are able to enjoy beautiful scenery while boating and fishing on the river. They can then feast on delicious fish dishes and sleep in small waterfront villas.

Since last October, Yanzhihu Lake has accommodated more than 29,000 tourists, earning a total of 460,000 yuan. Currently, 1,581 rural families are engaged in this type of tourist activity, providing over 10,000 beds and creating over 20,000 jobs.

(Xinhua News Agency 10/24/2001)