Last month, a space in Cili, Hunan Province, celebrated its one-year anniversary. Called Zhu Suo Wu Ding (住所无定, literally “no fixed dwelling,” Zhu Suo for short), it’s a place that serves coffee during the day and slings cocktails at night. More importantly, it is a place where young people in this small town gather around to share in hobbies and dreams. In their search for a like-minded community, Zhu Suo has become a gathering space rooted in this little-known county in central China.
Zhu Suo began its journey in 2022, when the founders followed the trend of the “street-stall economy” (地摊经济) that emerged after COVID. Using basic bartending skills, they gradually built a reputation among local young people. They later started a podcast to share thoughts and discussions on topics that concern China’s younger generation, including feminism, ADHD, neurodiversity, cultural practices, and more. Over the past year, Zhu Suo has also brought greater visibility to Cili County. Although the famous tourist city of Zhangjiajie is nearby, there is still no direct train or convenient transportation link between the two places. Despite this, Zhu Suo has gathered a loyal group of followers who live locally but remain curious about the wider world.
Zhu Suo is not the only space in China’s smaller towns aiming to create a broader cultural horizon. In its first year, one of the hosts, Xi Zao, traveled to cities around the world to share their experiences while hosting events. Within this loose network of cultural spaces, one well-known platform is boPOmofo, a library run by the art publishing organization Jia Za Zhi. Located in Ningbo, the space has operated for more than four years and was among the early examples of art spaces moving beyond major cultural centers such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Chengdu to explore how art could connect with local communities.
Similar initiatives can often be found in Fujian Province, a culturally rich region in southeastern China. Balangyu (巴浪鱼), known in English as “Local Fish,” belongs to a similar circle in Quanzhou. In Zhangzhou, Muinn-khau (门口, meaning “doorstep” in the Hokkien dialect) and HotBox (热盒子) represent two examples of the city’s growing cultural scene. The hosts of Muinn-khau regularly organize one-day trips to counties under Zhangzhou’s administration, encouraging young people who usually look outward to global youth trends to rediscover the subtle cultural traditions of their hometowns. Meanwhile, HotBox is an independent café dedicated solely to coffee making. Even in a small county, the café has attracted a loyal group of visitors drawn to the area’s rising coffee culture.
Returning home and choosing a slower-paced lifestyle is not an easy decision for young people who have spent time away from their hometowns. The hosts of Zhu Suo recalled moments of frustration when no audience showed up for film screenings on ordinary workdays outside of holiday periods. Yet spaces like these have become a kind of anchor for many people living away from home. We at RADII are excited to see more spaces like this, and as per usual, we’ll continue to spotlight them.
Cover image via Zhu Suo.
