The Counter-Urbanization Creative Class and the Sprout of the Creative Countryside: Case Studies on China’s Coastal Plain Villages

Abstract

The counter-urbanization creative class has gradually become an important factor in the revitalization of rural China, driving the steady and healthy development of the rural economy and society. This article explores the motivations and creative practices of the counter-urbanization creative class in the coastal plain villages of China to provide a reference for the development of rural society in China and other countries. Data from this study were obtained through qualitative research with participatory observations and semi-structured interviews. The study found that the rural areas around economically developed regions are increasingly favoured by the counter-urbanization creative class and have quickly become a platform for career development and realizing an ideal life; notably, rural creative industries have sprung up in China’s coastal plain villages. To date, the linkage between the counter-urbanization creative class and creative countryside is rarely explored in existing literature; thus, this paper produces a valuable exploration and addition to the area of the sprout of the creative countryside.

Keywords

• Counter-urbanization
• creative class
• motivation
• creative village
• rural revitalization

References

1. Bao, H., 2018. Status and reflections on migrant workers ‘counter-urbanization’. Contemporary Economic Management, 6, 46-53. doi: 10.13253/j.cnki.ddjjgl.2018.06.008. google scholar
2. Bao, H., & Wang, F., 2017. ‘Non-to-agricultural’: reflections on the‘counter-urbanization’ of Chinese college students’ Hukou Migration. Chinese Youth Studies, 3, 81-87. doi: 10.19633/j.cnki.11-2579/ d.2017.03.012. google scholar
3. Brouillette, S., 2008. Contemporary literatüre, post-industrial capital, and the UK Creative industries. Literatüre compass, 5 (1),122-133. google scholar
4. Chu, J.J., 2020. The current situation, causes and countermeasures of rural residential environment improvement in northern Jiangsu under the background of rural revitalization. Jiangsu Agricultural Sciences, 1,. 33-36. doi: 10.15889/j.issn.1002-1302.2020.01.006. google scholar
5. Dear, M. 2003. The Los Angeles school of urbanism: an intellectual history 1. Urban Geography, 24 (6), 493-509. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2747/0272-3638.24.6.493 google scholar
6. Evans, Y., & Smith, A., 2006. Surviving at the margins? deindustrialisation, the creative industries, and upgrading in London’s garment sector. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 38 (12), 2253-2269. doi:10.1068/ a38285 google scholar
7. Florida, R., 2002. The rise of the creative class: and how it’s transforming work, leisure, community and everyday life. Basic Books, New York. google scholar
8. Gosnell, H., & Abrams, J. 2011. Amenity migration: diverse conceptualizations of drivers, socioeconomic dimensions, and emerging challenges. GeoJournal, 76 (4), 303-322. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/ article/10.1007%2Fs10708-009-9295-4 google scholar

9. Guo Y.Z., Zhou, Y., & Liu, Y.S., 2020. Spatiotemporal evolution and driving mechanism of rural population outflow in China. Scientia Geographica Sinica, 1, 50-59. doi: 10.13249/j.cnki.sgs.2020.01.007. google scholar
10. Hawkins, J., 2001. The creative economy: how people make money from ideas. Allen Lane, London. google scholar
11. He, W.H., & Xiong, Z.D., 2019. Cross-border integration of digital creative industries: internal and external motivations and mechanisms. Social Sciences in Hunan, 6, 95-102. Retrieved from http://www.cnki.com.cn/ Article/CJFDTotal-FLSH201906014.htm google scholar
12. Hu S.L., Yu, B., & Wang, M.J., 2019. Rural reconstruction and transformation: western experience and enlightenment. Geographical Research, 12, 33-45. doi: CNKI: SUN: DLYJ.0.2019-12-002. google scholar
13. Li, P.L., 2017. Is the tide of ‘reverse urbanization’ coming. People’s Tribune, 3, 60-61. doi: 10.16619/j.cnki. rmlt.2017.03.028. google scholar
14. Li, Q.L., & Luo, Q., 2019, August 27. Yunnan practice of creative class involvement in rural tourism development and its inspiration. China Tourism Newspaper. Retrieved from http://www.ctnews.com.cn/xcly/ content/2019-08/27/content_49962.html google scholar
15. Li, S.Z., 2000. China’s Road. Nanfang Daily Press, Guangzhou. google scholar
16. Liu, P., 2009. Creative agriculture and new countryside construction in Japan. Modern Japanese Economy, 03, 56-64. doi: CNKI: SUN: XDRJ.0.2009-03-009. google scholar
17. Liu, W., & Zhang, N., 2020. Research on rural creative industrialization based on western Anhui folk crafts. Journal of West Anhui University, 1, 7-10. doi: CNKI: SUN: WXXB.0.2020-01-002. google scholar
18. Liu, Y.F., & Li, X.P., 2017. ‘Counter-urbanization’ or ‘pseudo-urbanization’? —reflection on the problem of college students and farmers ‘leaving the city and returning to the country’ and discussing with Shen Dong. China Youth Study, 6, 24-30. doi: 10.19633/j.cnki.11-2579/d.2017.06.004. google scholar
19. Lou, Y., 2018. Study on the survival mechanism of the creative class of tourism in Dali Shuanglang. Master’s Thesis. Yunnan Normal University, Yunnan. google scholar
20. Lu, S.F., 2019. A study on the promotion of tourism attraction in historical and cultural blocks from the perspective of ‘creative +’—a case study of Hexia ancient town. Modern Business, 30, 41-42. doi: 10.14097/j. cnki.5392/2019.30.018. google scholar
21. Lu, Y.L., & Chen, X.F., 2019. The road to revitalization of China’s rural areas in the New Era. China Agricultural University Journal of Social Sciences, Edition 3, 9-17. doi: 10.13240/j.cnki.caujsse.2019.03.002. google scholar
22. McLuhan, M., 1962. The guttenberg galaxy. University of Toronto Press, Toronto. google scholar
23. Meng, X.L., Zhang Y.X., & Shen S.F., 2004. Counter-urbanization trend and its economic analysis in the process of urban development. Economic Jingwei, 1, 64-67. doi: 10.15931/j.cnki.1006-1096.2004.01.019. google scholar
24. Michael, W., 2018. Precarious rural cosmopolitanism: Negotiating globalization, migration and diversity in Irish small towns. Journal of Rural Studies, 64, 164-176. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j. jrurstud.2018.03.014 google scholar
25. Mintzberg, H., 1979. An emerging strategy of ‘direct’ research. Adm. Sci. Q. 24, 582-589. Retrieved from https:// www.jstor.org/stable/2392364?seq=1 google scholar
26. O’Connor, J., & Gu, X., 2012. Creative industry clusters in Shanghai: a success story? International Journal of Cultural Policy, 20 (1), 1-20. doi:10.1080/10286632.2012.740025 google scholar
27. Shen, D., 2018. From the city to the countryside: local practice and theoretical reconstruction of counter-urbanization. Population and Society, 2, 22-32. doi:10.14132/j.2095-7963.2018.02.003. google scholar
28. Shen D., 2019. Re-discussion on the study of the reverse urbanization in contemporary China. Lanzhou Academic Journal, 305 (02), 98-107. Retrieved from http://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTotal-LZXK201902009.htm google scholar
29. Shen, J., & Zhou, R.J., 2019. Experiential learning and teaching help local historical environment creation—cultural and creative industry research course of Chung Yuan Christian University in Taiwan as an example. Art & Design, 11, 116-119. doi: 10.16272/j.cnki.cn11-1392/j.2019.11.025. google scholar
30. Sheng, L., & Ma, Y., 2008. Research on creative class and urban development. Modern City Research, 1, 61-69. doi: CNKI: SUN: XDCS.0.2008-01-010. google scholar
31. Song, X.Z., 2018. Research on the construction of Suzhou rural cultural landscape from the perspective of creative industries. Jiangnan Forum, 3, 26-28. doi: CNKI: SUN: JLLT.0.2018-03-012. google scholar
32. Stake, R.E., 1994. Case studies. In: Denzin, N.K. and Lincoln, Y.S., Editors, pp. 236-247. Handbook of Qualitative Research, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks. google scholar
33. Sun, F.H., 2016. Talking about cultural space protection and community development in Xinye Ancient Village, Hangzhou. New West, 21, 60-61. doi: CNKI: SUN: XXBL.0.2016-21-046. google scholar
34. Tao, Z.T.L., & Yang, H., 2015. On the counter-urbanization as a new type of urbanization. Gansu Social Sciences, 2, 104-108. doi: 10.15891/j.cnki.cn62-1093/c.2015.02.023. google scholar
35. Townsend, L., Wallace, C., Fairhurst, G., & Anderson, A., 2016. Broadband and the creative industries in rural Scotland, Journal of Rural Studies, 9, 1-8. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/ S0743016716303436 google scholar
36. Bozkurt V., & Suğur, N., (2018). Industrial sociology. Eskisehir: Anadolu University Press. google scholar
37. Wang, J., Chen, X., Xiao, X.D., & Yang, N., 2020. Research on the new format of cultural and creative industry development in the historical and cultural area of Taohuawu: a case study of the ‘Siyuan’ art installation in Taohuawu international design week. Huazhong Architecture, 1, 83-86. doi: 10.13942/j.cnki.hzjz.2020.01.019. google scholar
38. Wang, T.F., & Zhao, L.Y., 2020. A preliminary exploration of the urban industrial heritage transformation creative park: a case study of the landscape reconstruction design of Changshu embroidery factory. Xiandai Horticulture, 1, 147-148. doi: 10.14051/j.cnki.xdyy.2020.01.068. google scholar
39. Wang, L.Y., Ji, Y., & Wang, Y.J., 2019. Research on residential location preference of urban creative talents: an empirical analysis based on Tianjin micro-survey and big data. Journal of Management, 5, 30-37. doi: 10.19808/j.cnki.41-1408/f.2019.05.004. google scholar
40. Wang, X., 2014. The formation and development of metropolitan areas: a comprehensive review of the transformation of the world’s urbanization since the middle of the 20th century. Historical Research, 6, 130-146. doi: CNKI: SUN: LSYJ.0.2014-06-022. google scholar
41. Wang, X.Z., 2019. The concept of ‘counter-urbanization’ from multiple perspectives. Journal of Guangxi University for Nationalities (Philosophy and Social Science Edition) ,4, 161-166. doi: CNKI: SUN: GXZS.0.2019-04-024. google scholar
42. White, P., 2010. Creative industries in a rural region: creative west: the creative sector in the western region of Ireland. Creat. Ind. J. 3, 79-88. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1386/cij.3.1.79_1 google scholar
43. Wu, J., 2019. Attracting the flow and gathering of creative classes: Humanistic environment and scenes: a summary of western creative class theory. China Ancient City, 5, 30-35. doi: CNKI: SUN: ZGMI.0.2019-05-006. google scholar
44. Wu, M.H., 2020. The connotation, influence and measurement index construction of counter-urbanization——also on the authenticity of counter-urbanization in my country. Journal of Yichun University, 1, 35-39. doi: CNKI: SUN: YCSB.0.2020-01-009. google scholar
45. Xu, Q.M., 2019. Letting witnesses restore the true local history—taking the oral history of the protection and tourism development of Zhouzhuang ancient town as an example. Jiangsu Local Chronicles, 6, 62-67. doi: CNKI: SUN: JSDF.0.2019-06-012. google scholar
46. Yang, J.H., 2018. Creative support of characteristic towns and cultivation of rural creative classes. Journal of Jiaying University, 3, 40-44. doi: CNKI: SUN: JYDB.0.2018-03-008. google scholar
47. Yang, X.X., & Zhang, K.K., 2019. Disciplinary path of nostalgia to rural rejuvenation from the perspective of value identification. Journal of Hubei Minzu University (Philosophy and Social Sciences), 6, 109-116. doi: 10.13501/j. cnki.42-1328/c.2019.06.013. google scholar
48. Ye, C.L., & Sun, F.H., 2017. A study on the modern inheritance of the associations in Wenzhou from the perspective of intangible heritage protection: a case study of Quxi’s ‘February First’ association. Journal of Chengdu Normal University, 11, 96-99. doi: CNKI: SUN: SJXB.0.2017-11-019. google scholar
49. Yin, R.K., 2009. Case study research: design and methods, fourth ed. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks. google scholar
50. Zhang, H., 2018. Research on the lifestyle of counter-urbanization of the middle class—taking the phenomenon of Dali as an example. Journal of Social Science of Hunan Normal University, 2, 92-101. doi: 10.19503/j. cnki.1000-2529.2018.02.014. google scholar
51. Zhang, L., 2020. Cultural and creative industry development in new age museum: experience and enlightenment. Journal of Southwest University for Nationalities (Humanities and Social Sciences), 2, 200-205. doi: CNKI: SUN: XNZS.0.2020-02-027. google scholar
52. Zheng, L.N., Wang, W.Y., & Li, Q.L., 2019. Discussion on the formation mechanism of the creative stratum concentration in ethnic tourism areas of Western China: a case study of Dali Shuanglang. Journal of Hubei University of Arts and Science, 11, 8-12. doi: CNKI: SUN: XFXY.0.2019-11-002. google scholar
53. Zhang, M.J., 2014. Research on the integration and development of national cultural and creative industries and rural tourism industry: taking Guizhou Province as an example. Hubei Agricultural Sciences, 14, 30-33. doi: 10.14088/j.cnki.issn0439-8114.2014.14.125. google scholar
54. Zhang, Q.C., & Mei, Y., 2020. Research on the‘counter-urbanization’ trend and influencing factors of population distribution in the Yangtze River Economic Zone. Journal of Central China Normal University (Humanities and Social Sciences Edition), 1, 43-53. doi: CNKI: SUN: HZSD.0.2020-01-007. google scholar
55. Zhang, S.N., & Li, Y.Q., 2018. Cultural and creative tourism: A research area urgently needing academic care—— based on literature review and discussion from 2001 to 2017. Tourism Forum, 2, 95-106. doi: 10.15962/j.cnki. tourismforum.201902022. google scholar
56. Zhang, T., 2019. The function of rural human relationship from the perspective of social capital: characterization, evolution and restoration: based on the perspective of rural transformation in China. Journal of the Party School of the Hefei Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, 5, 49-53. doi: CNKI: SUN: ZGHF.0.2019-05-011. google scholar
57. Zhang, Y.X., Wang, W., & Wang, Y., 2020. Exploration of the museum’s cultural and creative product development and design framework and method. Packaging Engineering, 2, 324-330. doi: 10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2020.02.054. google scholar
58. Zhang, Y.Y., & Xi, Z.X., 2010. The rise of China’s creative class and construction strategies. Economic Forum, 11, 143-146. doi: CNKI: SUN: JJLT.0.2010-11-043. google scholar
59. Zhang, Z.F., & Zhang, A.M., 2020. Temporal and spatial changes of rural development types in China’s counties. Resources Science, 2, 207-216. doi: CNKI: SUN: ZRZY.0.2020-02-001. google scholar
60. Zhang, Z.X., 2017. A preliminary study of the characteristics of Chinese creative class in the age of creative economy. China Economist, 9, 177-178. doi: CNKI: SUN: JJSS.0.2017-09-084. google scholar