Find Your Perfect Cup of Coffee in Gui'an's Countryside

GUIYANG, China, April 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a report from Discover Guizhou: In the heart of central Guizhou, the Guian New Area, an emerging tech hub tied to China's national development strategy, is undergoing rapid transformation. Data flows at scale while cutting-edge technologies are gaining momentum. Smart and efficient living is becoming the norm. The Guian Encounters series explores this dynamic region, offering a closer look at Guizhou's journey toward Chinese-style modernization. One such story begins inside a rather extraordinary factory.

Think city coffee culture has gotten too intense? You clearly haven't been to the countryside in Guizhou. Here, coffee grows under phoenix trees, takes root in experimental fields, and even hides away in a Moroccan-inspired dream.

In Gui'an New Area, going back to the village has become a new kind of romance for young people. Quietly, dreams of so‑called "village coffee" are taking shape, bridging urban and rural life while breathing new energy into the countryside.

At the end of 2022, seven young locals from Dangwu came together to form a "hometown talent squad." They poured their deep attachment to their roots into a coffee shop called Qiushan.

The name Qiushan comes from a line by the ancient poet Tao Yuanming: "In youth I had no taste for worldly things; my nature was to love the hills and mountains." "It represents our love for nature, for the wild, for the energy the land gives us," says Qin Li, who married into Dangwu Subdistrict. Her six partners are all Dangwu natives. Together, they bring a mix of talents—planning, design, engineering, coffee making—but above all, they share a passion for life and for this land.

"When we were young, we left to study and work, soaking up urban trends. But the countryside has unique landscapes and things you just can't find in the city. So we came back to build a bridge between the two." Over three years, they've opened two fusion‑style coffee spots: Qiushan Wutong under the phoenix trees near Factory No. 26, and Qiushan House in a Moroccan‑style courtyard in Dangwu. Both blend the rustic charm of renovated old farmhouses with the cozy comforts of urban leisure culture.

The countryside offers a spectacular stage for village coffee—its changing seasons, its culture, its vibrant life. But even more romantic than the scenery is a promise.

"Getting the whole village to drink coffee" is one of Qin Li's small dreams. To her, coffee is like tea: an everyday staple that adds flavor to life. "Whenever a villager wants a coffee, we make it with care and take the time to talk about its flavors and story. Winning recognition from our hometown is what makes us happiest."

This year, they're planning to use livestreaming to promote local specialties like chili peppers and rice, and to host more lively events at Qiushan, making the shop a place where anyone can find an emotional outlet and a spiritual haven. As Qin Li puts it, Qiushan is just a shop. Its true character and soul come from the partners and the people who walk through its doors.

The rich aroma of coffee mingles with the scent of the land, weaving together city and countryside. They've shown that rural life can be just as vibrant and trendy as the city. Nostalgia, it turns out, can hold a party full of youthful energy.

Dr. Huo Honghao doesn't just love drinking and selling coffee, he has an even bigger dream: to grow a coffee estate where people in Guiyang can sit under coffee trees and enjoy a cup.

Back in college, Huo was already a well-known coffee enthusiast, spending weekends cafe-hopping in Guiyang and curating an exquisite coffee corner in his dorm. After graduation, he visited Chetian Village in Gui'an's Huchao Township and was immediately drawn to its beautiful landscape and relaxed, authentic atmosphere. He found an old farmhouse courtyard that had sat abandoned for years and spent a month transforming it with his own hands into a rustic, tranquil spot he named Doctor's Coffee.

With a Ph.D. in botany, Huo brings a unique scientific edge to his shop. He applies techniques from medicinal plant extraction to refine his brewing methods and draw out more distinctive flavors. He draws on his experience in sourcing and testing plant varieties to select coffee strains best suited to Guizhou's conditions. He even applies seed germination science to coffee cultivation, hoping to help it thrive.

"Guiyang is known as a'city of coffee,'yet it doesn't grow a single coffee bean," Huo says. "I want to see if I can fill that gap." Today, he's planted the first coffee tree in Gui'an. His shop, which doubles as a lab, is stocked with beans from various origins, sorted by roast level—dark, medium-dark, medium-light, light—each one a reflection of his understanding and vision of flavor.

"I hope to one day brew a cup from beans I've grown myself—not overly bitter, but with more fruity aromas and vibrant flavors that make you happy." For him, that flavor captures the spirit of Guiyang, a city full of life.

He has even bigger plans: teaming up with neighbors to create a "Doctor's Organic Vegetable Garden," partnering with the village to build a coffee economy, and letting locals see coffee cherries up close, right in their own backyard. Coffee plus farming, coffee plus homestays, coffee plus educational tours...what Dr. Huo is after is more than a cup of coffee; it's a field experiment in possibilities. He imagines a sustainable, long-term model for rural revitalization, rooted in Guizhou's own coffee estates.

What wafts from Gui'an's coffee shops isn't just aroma, it's hope. It's about planting talent back into the soil and letting the scent of coffee nurture new chapters of rural life. Here, everyone can find a cup that truly suits their taste.

SOURCE Discover Guizhou