Gold-collars leave hectic cities for reclusive lifestyles

(Ecns.cn) – Withdrawal from first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou after years of working has been a common practice among migrant workers in China for years, but now a new fashion is emerging among gold collar workers who are leaving for a different reason – they want peace and quiet.

Instead of returning to their hometowns, they are choosing to give up high-paying jobs in economic hubs and pursuing more "spiritual" and tranquil lifestyles in the countryside, according to Southern Weekend.

Shuanglang Village, located by Erhai Lake in southwest China's Yunnan Province, is one such ideal place, and has now become swamped with former urbanites hoping to shake off the frustration incurred from invariable workloads and wasting time in traffic jams.

Leaving the cities

Ding Lei was once a white collar worker with a high position in the financial industry in Shanghai, and his wife was a vice-general manager at a reputed property company. To their acquaintances, they were a highly successful couple, with a nice apartment, cars and careers, as well as many friends to hang out with.

However, beneath that exterior, the couple suffered. Every night, Ding and his wife slept less than six hours, and were obligated to use all of their spare energy hobnobbing among various social sets when they weren't working.

And because of their busy schedules, they lacked the time to communicate properly with one another. Moreover, because they worked in the same trade, work and life always twisted together. In 2009, a bitter quarrel broke out and damaged the relationship between them.

In the following days, more problems arose and the increased tension only made the situation worse.

In desperation, Ding traveled to Dali, an ancient town with a unique cultural heritage located among the area's picturesque surroundings in Yunnan Province. Just two months before the trip, Ding had visited Dali to see his friends Shen Jianhua and his wife Qiuqiu, two freelance artists from whom Ding had gotten a favorable impression of the place.

After returning to Shanghai, 36-year-old Ding realized he had become addicted to the pace of life in that ancient town, and made a big decision: he would get a divorce, quit his job, and sell his apartment, all just to escape his stressful urban life. He now runs an inn in Shuanglang Village.

Fishing village overwhelmed

Ding's story is only one of many. In recent years, a number of gold collar workers fed up with heavy workloads and stressful lives have made similar choices, leaving everything behind in major cities and turning to rustic new habitats.

Shuanglang Village has become one of the more popular choices for those seeking such a lifestyle. It used to be a fishing village, and there were very few houses there before the year 2000. But after Yang Liping, a renowned Chinese dancer, built her house on the island, the village gradually became more crowded.

Many say Shuanglang is currently like a construction site, with cement pillars and new roads springing out of nowhere every day. The passion for living a simple life has driven up rents, and a common housing compound now costs about 90,000 yuan (US$14,247) a year, ten times that of three years ago.

It is now no easy feat to get a place in the village, a process that requires money, waiting lists, good social connections and a bit of luck – factors more often associated with urban life.

Essence of life

Some categorize this new breed of migrant worker among those who run away from major cities to their hometowns. But Ding Lei pointed out a key difference between the two groups: the new migrants choose to abandon Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, they are not forced out for economic reasons.

At first, Ding also considered migrating to a Western country, but decided to stick with China to avoid language and cultural barriers. According to him, to open an inn at a place like Shuanglang, one must have at least 2 million yuan (US$316,600) on hand. With other costs taken into consideration, not everyone can actually afford it.

Now, Ding lives the same life as the indigenous villagers in Shuanglang, going out at sunrise and coming back at sunset. If he does not feel like getting up early, he can oversleep for awhile if he wants.

Ding also noted that he is not isolated from the outside world thanks to the Internet, and he enjoys the way he lives now. In his words, this is the essence of life – simple, relaxed and always at ease.