As they bask in the warm sun, several elderly villagers lean against a red-brick wall at the entrance of Yuzishan Village, in Beijing's Pinggu District. At the northern end of the village, a woman crouches, with measuring tape in hand, as she carefully charts the uneven ground. She is Zhang Shuhan, the 28-year-old designer who has dedicated herself to transforming rural landscapes.
Transforming the Village
Zhang, who was born in east China's Shandong Province, earned her master's degree, in environmental design, from Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT). Upon her graduation, in 2024, she joined a studio, established by her professor, Li Weihan, at BIFT. The five-member, interdisciplinary team is dedicated to improving village landscapes. For more than two years, through rain and shine, she has immersed herself in Pinggu's villages — taking measurements, coordinating with construction crews, and chatting with locals.
Initially, the villagers were dubious. "Who knew what they could do? I'd have preferred them to lend a hand in the fields," recalls a villager, surnamed Wang. Her tone has softened over time. "We've got a square, where we can dance and stroll in the evenings. Even the public toilet and bus stop have been renovated," she says. Yang Jinyu, director of the village committee, also had low expectations initially; in fact, he thought the effort would be nothing more than a summer project. Virtually no one expected the transformation that was to come. For example, thanks to the studio's efforts, the abandoned power station was renovated to become the Power Station Art Gallery. It has since attracted streams of visitors. Since then, Yuzi Garden, a new bus stop and a community lecture hall have replaced overgrown wasteland. Quietly, but quickly, the village has been transformed.
"The team has breathed new life into the village," Yang says. Zhang and her teammates regularly organize "Villager Creativity Classroom" workshops, during which they invite artists and designers to collaborate with locals; together, they produce various items, such as clay works, lampshades and brooches. At the Power Station Cafe, two young locals are busy at work. The cafe not only offers job opportunities to local youth, but is also a beloved retreat for all villagers. Even the older folks stop by the gallery for a coffee, and for a quiet look at the artwork, after their day's work in the fields. Thanks to the growing number of tourists, guesthouses have mushroomed throughout the village.
Growing Through Trials
Yet, rural renovation is never smooth. "We often revise a plan three times," Zhang admits. While she and her teammates were designing a garden, many of the villagers objected, fearing the construction might ruin their vegetable plots. Zhang worked with the construction crew to redraw boundaries, and she repeatedly revised the design until the garden gracefully curved around the plots. Only then did the project receive the support of the villagers.
The southern section of Yuzishan has been renovated, and work has begun on the northern stretch, where villagers' houses are closer to the main road. This has presented new challenges to Zhang and her teammates, as each household has required a tailormade design, and one-on-one communication. Zhang enjoys such challenges. "Coordinating with villagers, and seeing the drawings become reality, is deeply rewarding."
After she conducts each survey, Zhang produces detailed drawings and models, and then she shuttles between the site and the village office to coordinate efforts with the builders and village committee's director. She haggles over every nuance with the builders: The tilt of a lamp, the routing of rainwater into vegetated swales, and the choice of permeable materials, which allow the soil to breathe. Whenever villagers are perplexed, she patiently uses bricks to build models, or she shows the villagers photos, on her phone, to explain visually. She persists until the villagers nod to indicate they understand.
Drawings into Reality
"Summer is the toughest," Zhang says. "I once got heatstroke, despite full sun protection." Her family worried about her leaving the urban area for harsh village life, and her mother tried to persuade her to return to their hometown. But Zhang values hands-on experience. "Few graduates get to manage an entire project cycle from start to finish. I've grown immensely. Direct conversations with villagers provide instant design feedback, pushing me to rethink and expand my perspective." Eventually, after her family witnessed her creations taking shape, and after they heard the delight in her voice, they became her staunchest supporters.
As Zhang gestures toward an open space in the village, she explains, "There was no public square in the village. Villagers would stroll along the main road, where cars sped dangerously. Now, they have a safe, dedicated pathway. We designed the walking route, bit by bit, and, today, after supper, the whole village loves to wander here, free from the danger of passing cars."
Children have fun at the square, while the elderly sit and chat in the warm sunlight. It is a scene as serene as a beautiful painting. "This brings me profound fulfillment. We've overcome countless hurdles, but seeing each problem solved, and witnessing the spaces embraced by the villagers, I know we've done something meaningful. That's why I'll continue to stay and work here, for as long as it takes," Zhang says.
Photos from Interviewee
(Women of China English Monthly July 2026)
Editor: Wang Shasha
