Local persimmon growers sell their fruit at roadside stalls. [Photo/Tide News]

In Wangcun village, Fengqiao town, Zhuji, a county-level city in Shaoxing, more than 500 ancient persimmon trees are laden with red fruit, including one over 600 years old that has become a popular spot for visitors.

The ancient grove is now a reliable source of income for local residents. In 2023, a photo shared on social media brought the village unexpected attention, drawing crowds of visitors. Since then, Wangcun has organized markets, handicraft workshops, picking experiences, and music events. The first autumn harvest fair in 2025 attracted tens of thousands of visitors.

As tourist numbers grow, so do villagers' incomes. Nearly all 300 households in Wangcun grow persimmons, and local products like dried vegetables and greens have found new buyers, boosting household income by 30,000 ($4495.8) to 40,000 yuan annually.

To extend the tourism season, Wangcun has planted 50 mu (about 3.3 hectares) of galsang flowers that bloom from September to November, with plum blossoms in winter and plans for rapeseed flowers next year — creating a rural landscape that spans autumn, winter, and spring.