Young entrepreneurs in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, are drawing on Hehe culture, which emphasizes harmony and cooperation, to develop businesses and support rural communities.

In Hou'an village, Tiantai county, a youth-led rural development project launched in March 2025 has attracted more than 150 young people from universities in China and abroad.

Working with local residents, they have developed businesses and products, including a cafe and branded beverages, helping villagers generate more than 1 million yuan (about $150,000) in income.

Similar efforts are taking shape elsewhere in Taizhou.

Cai Xinyi, a young entrepreneur born after 1995, has combined her family's manufacturing expertise and supply chains with social media content and her own consumer goods brand.

In Xianjing village, Xianju county, Yang Qiyu, a young entrepreneur from Henan province, has brought together natural scenery, rural life, and creative ideas to develop local tourism. The village has recorded more than 250,000 tourist visits so far this year.

As of September 2026, Taizhou had attracted more than 3,400 young professionals in cultural and tourism entrepreneurship, with over 270 projects established across the city.