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The one reason for entrepreneur to stay at the ancient city of Kashi...

Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Parizat Abdu) news: On October 14, 2024, sunlight poured through the windows onto the carpet as Hu Yupeng brewed coffee and prepared ethnic pastries, marking the start of another routine day.

Photo shows the "One Thousand and One Nights Designers" inn in the ancient city of Kashi, Kashi Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Parizat Abdu)

"One Thousand and One Nights Designers" is an inn, opened in May this year, run by Hu Yupeng, a native of Xi'an City in Shaanxi Province.

Why did he choose to start his business in the ancient city of Kashi? Hu Yupeng, who had been working in music in Beijing, said, "I was deeply fascinated by the culture of Kashi." At the end of 2023, Hu Yupeng and his friends drove to Kashi City and stayed at an inn within the ancient city of Kashi. Upon his first arrival in Kashi, he was immediately drawn to the unique local dwellings and cultural ambiance. After spending more than 20 days traveling in Kashi, Hu Yupeng decided to stay and open his own inn there.

During the initial stages of decorating the inn, Hu Yupeng visited the local residents, observing the colors and carved patterns on their doors and windows, the types of sofas placed inside their homes, and the curtains hung up. He even set the crystal containers used for displaying dried fruits and pastries on the living room tables. "By staying at our inn, I want guests to feel like they are living in a local resident's home," said Hu Yupeng. The "One Thousand and One Nights Designers" inn has a total of nine rooms, each with a unique decorating style. One thing they all have in common is that delicious specialty pastries are placed in each room.

"Sometimes when I'm too busy to sweep and water the courtyard outside, my elderly neighbor will help me with it. Sometimes my Uygur friends will buy kebabs and naan and come to the inn for a small gathering," said Hu Yupeng. He feels like he's already a part of this community.

Ji Lingxuan, a girl from southwest China's Sichuan, is also one of the tourists who turned into entrepreneurs. In 2022, as a post-90s generation, she visited the ancient city of Kashi for the first time and was deeply moved by the honest residents and rich folklore there. Seeing the flow of tourists in the ancient city, Ji Lingxuan spotted a business opportunity. "At that time, there were quite a few travel photography shops in the ancient city of Kashi, but few of them offered different costumes, accessories, and photography styles. I wanted to offer something different," said Ji Lingxuan. After renting a shop in the ancient city of Kashi, she embarked on a journey to Kyrgyzstan.

Ji Lingxuan brought back more than ten sets of ethnic costumes from Kyrgyzstan and recruited photographers and makeup artists from across the country. In the spring of 2023, her "Yurt Girl Photo Studio" opened. This year, her second shop in the ancient city of Kashi is also bustling with guests.

Photo shows Ji Lingxuan helps customers with clothes at Yurt Girl Photo Studio in the ancient city of Kashi, Kashi Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Parizat Abdu)

"The members of our team come from all over the country, and we want more people to fall in love with this place like we have," said Ji Lingxuan.

Why did they choose the ancient city of Kashi to start their businesses? Liu Shaoyang, who transitioned from a cadre at the team of pairing assistance programs in Xinjiang to an entrepreneur, gave the same answer as Hu Yupeng and Ji Lingxuan.

In 2013, Liu Shaoyang arrived in Kashi as in the pairing assistance programs in Xinjiang from Guangdong Province. Initially, she was attracted to the special agricultural products of Kashi. In order to bring these products out of Xinjiang, she engaged in e-commerce sales at a local cooperative. Seeing the heartfelt smiles of farmers as their products were sold, Liu Shaoyang also felt happy. After three years of fulfilling her service, Liu Shaoyang reluctantly left.

After returning home, Liu Shaoyang often thought of the kind old people and naughty children in front of the Id Kah Mosque Square, as well as the mouthwatering food at Khan Bazaar Night Market. She decided to quit her job and return to live in the ancient city of Kashi. In 2019, Liu Shaoyang came to the ancient city of Kashi and opened Jiulongquan Inn, a photography-themed inn that integrates accommodation, dining, and travel photography.

Upon entering Jiulongquan Inn, visitors are greeted by an earthy brown porch, tan carved decorations, antique lighting, and a courtyard filled with rustic charm, making it irresistible for tourists to want to stay there. "The inn has been open for more than five years, and every year we've been upgrading and renovating it. We want tourists to feel comfortable and have a sense of being at home," said Liu Shaoyang.

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