Multiethnic village offers template for rural tourism

He Qingmei said: "Like other devout Tibetan Buddhists, my grandmother used to make a pilgrimage around the mountain every year before she turned 80. After chanting a blessing, she would perform a long ritual. She would also climb over the mountain between our home and the temple every year to deliver handmade clothes and food to my grandfather. I want to make a video record of all the songs my grandmother sings as they are a precious cultural heritage. Once my grandmother is gone, there may not be anyone left to sing those songs."

He Cuiying's homestay is named "Grandma's House" because it was built by He Qingmei and her cousins for their grandmother.

They hope to share the beautiful scenery and stories of their grandmother's home with more people and provide colorful memories for the senior through the visits of guests from around the world.

Construction of He Qingmei's own homestay started in 2015, and it was one of the first such units completed in Qibie. She said she designed and built the homestay herself.

The house retains the traditional Naxi architecture of stone and solid wood, along with wooden doors that have a history of more than 100 years.

Combined with comfortable bedding and bathrooms, it achieves a fusion of traditional ethnic culture and modern elements.

"In this way, guests can have a different experience and still live comfortably," He Qingmei said.

Pointing to a jar in her homestay, she said: "When we were young, we didn't have vegetables in the winter, so the elders would use jars like this to pickle vegetables. Now that life is more convenient and we can buy vegetables anytime, anywhere, we have turned these old objects into vases and placed them in the homestay. There are many such items here."