Ever wonder what it would be like to stay in a rural family inn, and play outdoor games in the snow, in -40 C weather? If that happens to be on your bucket list, just reach out to Shi Ruijuan and her husband, Sun Yanlong, who live in Beiji, a village commonly referred to as "North Pole Village," on the northernmost tip of China.
Beiji is in Mohe, a city in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, where Shi and Sun operate a family inn. They are dedicated to their community, and they believe –– deeply –– it is their family's obligation to help their hometown become prosperous.
In their devotion to boosting the cultural and tourism industries in Beiji, Shi and Sun rely on their diligence and ability to innovate as they do their part to write a beautiful chapter in the rural revitalization in China's northernmost region.
Becoming a Business Owner
Shi graduated from university in 2003. She decided to use her education to benefit Beiji, her hometown. Given its location, at the northernmost border of China, Beiji is an ideal place to observe the aurora borealis (northern lights) and experience the polar day (a day or the time in summer at places close to the North or South Pole, when the sun does not set).
"The average temperature in our village, throughout a year, is below 0 C. The lowest temperature can reach -50 C. Due to the extremely cold weather, local farmers used to rely on logging to earn a living," Shi says.
Logging of natural forests, for commercial use, has been banned in the Greater Khingan Range, in Northeast China, since 2014. With support from local governments, communities in China's northernmost region, including Beiji, began developing their tourism industries in 2014; and, by working together, they have been boosting the forest region's economy.
Shi says she and Sun began realizing the potential of Beiji's tourism industry in 2010. At that time, they were running a home-based restaurant, and Shi often conversed with tourists who were looking for accommodations in Beiji. Shi and Sun eventually transformed their courtyard into a family inn, and they named it "Snowman's Log Cabin."
Initially, the inn, which had three guest rooms, attracted tourists only in July and August, Beiji's peak tourist season.
To attract more customers, especially at other times of the year, Shi and Sun repainted the house, placed flowers and plants around, and posted information about and appealing photos of the inn on a website. Tourists could book rooms before they arrived in Beiji. Over time, the guests began to leave positive feedback and thumbs up on the website.
During the past decade, Shi and Sun have implemented various measures to attract tourists to Beiji, in all seasons. In December 2018, the couple hosted their first of many livestreaming shows, during which they wore fur jackets and hats as they strolled around Beiji, to show netizens the area's unique snowy landscapes.
Their livestreams sometimes lasted five to six hours. Their relatives worried about them working several hours in the extreme cold. Shi dismissed such concerns. "Viewers trust us. It's our duty to introduce our beautiful hometown to people across the country. I'm so happy and proud to see tourists coming to Beiji Village after they see our show," Shi said at the time.
The openness and hospitality demonstrated by Shi during the livestreams won her family many online followers, and even repeat customers. In recent years, Shi and Sun have added decorations — in the "China-red" color — in the inn.
Now, tourists to the region consider Snowman's Log Cabin a must-visit spot. During peak tourist season, Shi and Sun earn more than 30,000 yuan (US $4,225) per week.
As Shi and Sun's business continues to grow, the couple helps other villagers, by teaching them management skills. In particular, Shi helps local women who want to start their own businesses. Guo Limei, a resident, has been able to run a family inn since she received help from Shi and a small loan from Mohe city's women's federation. Guo's inn enables her family to earn in excess of 200,000 yuan (US $28,169) a year.
Shi and Sun have expanded their inn to five well-equipped guest rooms. "The firm leadership of our Party (Communist Party of China) ensures we can enjoy our happy lives today. We are grateful for our Party. We are pretty sure Beiji will embrace a more promising future!" Shi says.
'Cold Resources' Become Hot Spots
In Beiji, an increasing number of families, like Shi's family, are making good use of "cold resources" (the unique ice-and-snow environment) to develop and expand the village's tourism industry.
In 2024, the government of Mohe issued supportive policies aimed at boosting development of family run inns. As a result, Shi and Sun decided to build two more inns, which they named "Lucid Waters Pavilion" and "Lush Mountains Dwelling." The couple paid attention to every detail when designing the guest rooms, and when selecting construction and decoration materials.
"During the early years of running our business, it was quite difficult to earn 10,000 yuan (US $1,408) a year. But, nowadays, we have customers during all seasons. Our earnings can exceed 10,000 yuan (US $1,408) within just one week!" Shi says, with excitement.
Shi and Sun's cellphones ring multiple times a day. Why? Tourists call frequently to book rooms, and fellow villagers often call to ask for advice on how to rebuild or expand their inns.
"For example, they ask us where to buy good-quality tiles? Which store has sprinklers, at a good price?" Shi and Sun happily share their advice and good practices on constructing and renovating a house. They also negotiate with suppliers to purchase materials at a lower, group price.
Many of their fellow villagers have learned from Shi's family how to promote their inns on travel websites. As family inns have become more popular in Beiji, the villagers have received corresponding accommodation bookings.
"Customers need to book their rooms at least one month in advance, especially if they want to visit Beiji during the New Year season. In the past, we thought mainly about offering good accommodation services to our customers. Now, we are working toward a new goal: We hope an increasing number of customers will remember the family inns, in which they have stayed in Beiji," Shi says.
Going forward, she and her family hope to develop creative products that feature the charms of Beiji's history and culture. Shi recently registered a new company, under which her family led other rural families in building ice-game facilities. The warmheartedness of each member of her family, and their willingness to help other families create wealth, have won Shi and her family a good reputation among their customers, and their fellow villagers.
Earlier this year, Shi's family was named a "Most Beautiful Family," with nine other families in China, by the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the All-China Women's Federation. By working diligently in their family inn, Shi and her family promote the moral virtues of honesty and helping each other.
Photos from Interviewee
(Women of China English Monthly December 2025)
Editor: Wang Shasha
