Once a poverty-stricken village in the mountains of Yunnan, Azheke has turned tourism into a lifeline, distributing dividends among locals while preserving its UNESCO-recognized heritage
It was a sunny day in March when I arrived at Azheke, a remote rice-terrace village in Yunnan province’s Yuanyang county. A buzz of money was humming around the mushroom-shaped houses. Earlier that morning, the village held the latest of its dividend payment ceremonies, and the sound of currency-counting machines flutters through the chatter as the last few villagers line up to receive their red packets.
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Azheke’s Shared Prosperity: From Remote Hamlet to Global Spotlight is a story from our issue, “Smart Nation.” To read the entire issue, become a subscriber and receive the full magazine.
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