people of bishan

People in Bishan was a research and intervention project focused on the small town of Bishan in China’s Anhui Province. Completed with three teammates — two from Hong Kong University (HKU) and one from USC — each group was assigned a different lens through which to study the town: agriculture, water, building typology, history, and in our case, people. With my HKU partners able to speak directly with residents, we gained a deeper understanding of daily life and the social rhythms that shape the town.

As we moved through Bishan, we noticed a striking demographic pattern: the town was populated largely by older adults and young children, with working‑age residents conspicuously absent. Locals explained that as urbanization accelerates, rural populations shrink. Most adults now work in cities such as Nanjing, Shanghai, and Nantong, returning to Bishan only for a few months each year when the weather is pleasant.

Residents also spoke about the neighboring “mother town,” Huangshan — home of the Yellow Mountains. Once rural and untouched like Bishan, it has since transformed into a tourism‑driven spectacle. Many fear Bishan is on the same trajectory, and worry about the erosion of their way of life.

Our survey revealed the people, spaces, and rituals that hold the town together. We met Ms. Yu, a construction worker; Mr. Yao, a retired teacher; Mr. Ding, founder of the elderly center; Ms. Zhang, manager of the D&D library; and Ms. Wang, a hostel owner. Their stories intertwined with the town’s everyday activities: chestnut peeling in open sheds, mahjong in the elderly center, children gathering at the school bus stop, the century parade along the main street, square dancing in the plaza, quiet conversations in the library, and the steady flow of visitors to Dog’s Bistro.

Based on this research, each team member was tasked with designing an intervention shaped by one of four perspectives: local government, central government, internal tourism, or external tourism. I chose the central government lens, whose stated priority was improving quality of life. My proposal established a network of local hubs and agricultural workshops distributed throughout the town — spaces that supported the activities residents described to us and reinforced the social fabric that makes Bishan distinct.