An idyllic sunrise dawns over Xiapu County, a rural town in Fujian, China. From Xiapu's beaches, you can see a lone fisherman rowing his boat toward t

Photos show China's most surreal tourist spot— a fake Instagram-worthy town full of pretend farmers and phony fishermen

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2021-07-01 17:30:07

An idyllic sunrise dawns over Xiapu County, a rural town in Fujian, China. From Xiapu's beaches, you can see a lone fisherman rowing his boat toward the endless horizon. And venturing deeper into the county, you might catch strains of a buffalo lowing and spot chickens scurrying about the lush farmland.

Like Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, Xiapu reminds one of what rural China was like in its bygone days. It is still a largely agrarian town, but much of its picturesque landscape — and the people within it — is created by teams of photo crews masquerading as fake farmers and fishermen.

Before this masquerade took off, Xiapu was best known for its seafood. But years of bad harvests from the sea resulted in the area's economy suffering. Then the local government had a bright idea: To cash in on rural tourism, it aimed to turn Xiapu into the rural seaside village of one's dreams, according to local reports. The problem with that plan was — it wasn't.

Now Xiapu is known for something else entirely. For the right price, Chinese and foreign visitors alike can get the perfect shot for their social-media profile, complete with "special effects" courtesy of local businessmen angling to facilitate photo shoots.