East China · Zhejiang · Bamboo County
China's first digital-nomad county, born in a bamboo sea.
Why it's special
Deep in a bamboo sea, a community of young remote workers grew up on its own.
Anji sits in the Xitiao River basin of northwestern Zhejiang, famous nationwide for its bamboo — hills dense with bamboo forest, and one of the birthplaces of China's "green mountains are gold mountains" ecological philosophy. In recent years, a loose cluster of young remote workers has organically formed around Yu Village, anchored by the DNA digital-nomad commune — a library, a café, and almost no closed doors. Many people arrive planning a few days and end up staying a month. This isn't a checklist destination; it's a bamboo-forest corner built for staying long enough to find your own rhythm.
Community
Nature
Everyday Life
Itineraries
How to spend a day: from the ecomuseum to a craft-beer taproom — Yucun and the bamboo sea are best explored at your own unhurried pace.
Start the day at the Anji Ecomuseum, a state-run museum opened in 2012 that anchors a countywide network of 'walls-less' eco-museums -- considered one of the largest projects of its kind in the world, and the clearest way into Anji's idea that the whole county doubles as a gallery.
Walk over to Wu Changshuo Memorial Hall on the east side of Dipu town, honoring the late-Qing/early-Republic painter, calligrapher and seal-carving master born here, and founding president of the Xiling Seal Art Society. The three-story hall's galleries cover his life story, local Anji history, and his paintings and seal engravings across different periods.
In the afternoon, settle in at Huanxin Teahouse and order a pot of local white tea. Anji white tea is a rare white-leaf cultivar discovered in the 1970s in Tianhuangping, granted national geographic-indication protection in 2004 -- its amino-acid content runs 3-5 times that of ordinary green tea, giving it an unusually fresh, mellow taste.
As evening falls, head to Liangshan No. 1, a market-and-campsite venue that regularly hosts Anji's night-market season and music events -- a regular gathering spot for the local community and digital nomads alike.
Close the day at Heiri Meng Craft Beer Taproom over a local brew -- a regular after-dark hangout for young locals and digital nomads, and a fitting end to a slow-paced day in Anji.
Coordinates: Tianditu · OpenStreetMap
Don't miss
The curated "worth visiting" list isn't ready yet (see the honesty note above) — these are everyday experiences drawn from real, named local spots.
Eat & bring home
Restaurant-level data for Anji is thin right now — below are the two local specialties we can verify; tell us about specific eateries and dishes if you've been.
Good to know
Reality check
The honest take
If you're after a polished countryside-resort experience, Anji probably isn't it. But if you want to genuinely live alongside a cluster of remote workers and slowly find your own rhythm, this is about as representative a place as China has.
Communities like the DNA commune need at least a week's stay — any shorter and it just becomes another photo stop, not real communal living.
Plum rains cluster in June-July, typhoon rain in August-September — plan trips and laundry around the weather windows.
The digital-nomad life isn't a fairy tale — it needs real savings and steady income behind it. Most people don't last more than three years before settling somewhere permanent.
Communities like the DNA commune run almost entirely on open, doorless shared spaces — private space is scarce, so check in advance whether that suits you.
The first two are free & indexable; unlock to see the rest.
Membership = one-time purchase, lifetime access to all member depth.
One-time · lifetime (demo price, no real charge)
Is it for you?
Where to next
From Anji outward — a few other rural samples in northern Zhejiang.
Another well-known slow-living mountain retreat in northern Zhejiang, with a more mature guesthouse industry.
Another village built around rural creative revival — good for comparing different approaches to countryside renewal.
A classic Jiangnan water town — a different, more polished counterpoint to Anji's rural style.
Travel responsibly
Travel isn't only about the view — it's about living alongside a place with respect.
