From city life to rural roots

When 26-year-old Sun Shuangshuang carries a 40-kilogram bag of cornmeal to the pigsty in her small village in Yingshan county, Hubei, it's hard to believe she once worked in a sleek office in Wuhan, the provincial capital.

Today, she's a "pig-farming influencer" and a rural entrepreneur, blending business with a bit of farmyard charm.

Sun runs her own pig farm while managing the Douyin account "Black Pig Run Run", where her 626,000 followers get a glimpse into her unconventional life.

From the hustle of city offices to the mud-filled reality of pigsties, Sun represents a new idealism among young people today — grounding herself in the land and using innovation to empower local villagers.

In 2021, Sun graduated from Hubei University of Economics with a degree in internet and new media. When asked if returning to rural farming was a waste of her education, she laughed and said, "There are so many choices in life. It's time to shed the long robe of Kong Yiji", a reference to breaking free from the outdated scholar's mantle.

For Sun, using her professional knowledge to open markets and promote rural values is the true purpose of her education.

Her social media presence plays a significant role in selling products. Her first viral video — showing her sweeping the roof of a pigsty with a broom while a group of black pigs gathered around — garnered 2 million likes on Douyin and earned her 200,000 followers in a single day.

The hashtag "college student pig farmer" draws attention for its unusual contrast, but what truly captivates the audience is the authentic, down-to-earth rural life depicted in her videos.

"People love watching us share snippets of daily life, like gardening, cooking, and carrying feed," Sun said, noting that many of her followers — especially young people — long for this "leisurely and free" lifestyle.

"Some people leave comments saying they admire my courage for doing what they wouldn't dare try themselves," she said.

The impact is more than just online. In her weekly half-hour livestreams, Sun can sell two pigs weighing 300 kilograms each. Before the 2023 Spring Festival, 30 black pigs were sold to customers across the country.