Foreigners shun bright lights, big cities for rural charms

Foreigners settling in China are increasingly turning their backs on bustling metropolises for the simplicity, authenticity and affordability of lower-tier cities and rural areas, statistics show.

As of 2020, there were approximately 846,000 foreign nationals living on the Chinese mainland, a 42.42 per cent increase from 2010, according to the Seventh National Population Census published by the National Bureau of Statistics in 2021.

Yunnan province alone accounted for 376,000 long-term foreign residents. One of them is Patrik Bachstatter, a 33-year-old Swedish expatriate who has found not just a home but a new calling in the ancient town of Dali, far from the expat enclaves of Beijing and Shanghai.

Bachstatter met his wife in the Philippines, and the couple moved to China in 2018, living first in Shenyang, Liaoning province, and later in Sanya, Hainan province, and then Qingdao, Shandong province. But it was Dali with its clear air, mountains and strong sense of community that offered a more lasting connection.

“I read that Dali is known as the ‘California of China’. It’s not a big city, but it has good infrastructure and a lifestyle that’s closer to nature. That really appealed to me, especially for my child’s education,” said Bachstatter.

His path to organic farming was sparked by personal health concerns. After gallbladder surgery and digestive issues, he began paying closer attention to what he ate, and how food was grown. “I wanted to feel better, so I focused on clean, healthy food. That led to a broader lifestyle change,” he said.

Drawn to Dali’s ecological farming community, he began cultivating organic vegetables in villages across Midu and Eryuan counties, using sustainable techniques rooted in soil health and biodiversity.

In the quiet village of Nanxinan in Huangshan, Anhui province, the smoky aroma of wood-fired pizza mingles with the fragrance of tea fields and the earthy scent of preserved mandarin fish.

Adrien Brill, a 35-year-old American has traded the bustle of teaching in Chengdu, Sichuan province, for the serenity of rural China — and found purpose, community, and creativity in making pizzas.

In 2017, Brill moved to Huangshan, his wife’s hometown.

“My wife could be closer to her family, which was important to both of us, and I would finally have the chance to build the kind of life I had long been yearning for — one that’s more in tune with nature, community, and personal well-being,” he said.

After various business ventures including an English-language training centre, he gained some exposure in 2021 when he launched a TikTok channel called Wen’s Kitchen where he cooked daily meals and explored village cuisine. In 2023, the opportunity came to open a pizza shop in Nanxinan.

“I didn’t choose the restaurant business. The restaurant business chose me. It started with a video we shot at the launch of our pizza shop. It went viral overnight. The next day, we had hundreds of people lining up at our door. We had three tiny tables, no point-of-sale system, handwritten menus … It was total chaos — but also magic,” he said.

Among his signature pizzas are one topped with preserved mandarin fish and another with fermented tofu, both traditional Anhui delicacies.

“It’s not just food. It’s a cultural exchange. It’s the story of my family: one part American, one part Chinese, and something new and beautiful in between,” he said.

According to data released by the National Immigration Administration in 2024, a total of 711,000 residence permits were issued to foreign nationals residing in China in 2023.

Yu Hai, a sociology professor at Fudan University, said China’s opening-up began with major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, Guangdong province, which naturally attracted the largest number of foreigners. Back then, foreigners visiting small towns across China were mostly travellers passing through.

“Choosing to settle down and build a life in a small town, however, may be the newest chapter in the story of foreigners in China,” Yu said.

“For foreigners who are passionate about Chinese culture and see it as their mission to integrate into Chinese communities, often through cultural exchanges, it is a natural process. The country has become not only a livable destination but also one that is increasingly friendly to diversity.”