Video | Buffaloes and smoke machines: staged rural scenes create viral tourist spot in China
Villagers in China’s Fujian province pose with a buffalo, wear straw hats and are surrounded by artificial smoke as they create ‘perfect shots’ for visitors
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Buffaloes, straw hats and smoke machines: staged rural scenes create viral tourist spot in China
A county in China’s southeastern Fujian province has become a social media hit because of widely shared images depicting idyllic countryside scenes from the area.
Most show a wizened farmer leading a buffalo through a misty copse of gnarled trees, followed closely by a woman in a straw hat heaving pails of water.
The catch? The scene is staged by residents who charge as much as 300 yuan (US$42) to pose for photographs.
Tourists have been flocking to the village in Xiapu for the perfect shot, including many elderly visitors who say they are hungry for nostalgia.