To get away from urban life and experience rural life. My destination for this journey was a county called Changshan in Zhejiang Province, of China. Changshan is located in the southwest of Zhejiang Province. It is in a subtropical region with four distinct seasons and plenty of rain. In addition, I have heard that there are many traditional craftsmen in this village, so follow my journey to find and learn about them. （20 May, Changshan）
As the origin of Chinese bayberry in Zhejiang Province, farmers are busy harvesting Chinese bayberries from May to June each year, which taste a bit like a combination of strawberries and raspberries. Ripe Chinese bayberries can be eaten directly, or processed into dried Chinese bayberry fruits and Chinese bayberry jam. They can also be made into wine, which has the function of quenching thirst and aiding digestion. Many tourists from out of town even come to Changshan to experience the process of picking and processing Chinese bayberries. （ 20 May, Changshan）
The village of Changshan is a place full of life and human touch. In contrast to the fast pace of the urban areas, the pace of life here is slower. Most of the rural people are pure and simplistic in their thinking and their happiness levels are relatively high. People enjoy walking around the village together after dinner and getting together to chat in their free time. People become close and familiar with each other through conversation. （22 May, Changshan）
This old rickshaw still exists in the village of Changshan. It is a human-powered vehicle, usually with two or three wheels, with a seat for one or two people, pulled or ridden by a person in front of it. According to records the rickshaw was mainly used as the main means of transport in urban areas of Asian countries at the end of the 19th century, before the development of the automobile. The picture illustrates that the rickshaw has been used as a means of recreation, with adults riding it and taking their children for a walk in the park. （22 May, Changshan）
Jun is a local old blacksmith in Changshan, and is 70 years old this year. The Changshan area is rich in mineral resources and 38 varieties of mineral resources have been discovered, including limestone, stone coal and fulvicite ore, with the highest reserves and grades in Zhejiang Province. In the interview, Jun talked about how he has been an apprentice blacksmith since he was a teenager and can't believe he has been a blacksmith for more than 50 years. Jun said his job is mainly to make various production tools from iron with a hammer. （23 May, Changshan）
Jun was always the only person on staff at the shop. During the interview he lamented that until the 1980s, when farmers' personal incomes were relatively low, they used to have blacksmiths repeatedly repair farm tools until they were completely useless, and then recycle them. Nowadays, with the increased mechanisation of agriculture, the use of traditional farming tools has been greatly reduced and mechanised production has virtually replaced the blacksmith's work. In the past, a senior blacksmith usually had one or two apprentices, but he has been working alone for a long time. This was because it was not easy to work in the high temperatures and traditional methods of producing agricultural implements were so inefficient that few young people bothered to learn the skill any more. （23 May, Changshan）
The craftsman in the picture making objects out of bamboo strips is my second interviewee, a 62-year-old man called Feng. His father taught him the art of making objects from bamboo strips when he was a teenager. He explained to me that "the process of making bamboo products begins by splitting the bamboo into pieces, then splitting the bamboo skin and core into green and yellow pieces. The bamboo bark is then cut into slices and shreds as required. The whole production process includes: chopping, sawing, cutting, dissecting, pulling, prying, braiding, weaving, chipping and grinding." （24 May, Changshan）
Feng stated that the craftsman required a high level of skill and that the artisan needed to get a complete piece of bamboo into a variety of finished products, and that the finished product had to be both beautiful and drip-free. So it takes years of practice for the artisan to reach the level he has achieved. As a result, with the advent and popularity of plastic products, bamboo products have been phased out of everyday life and the number of craftspeople closely associated with such items is dwindling. Many young people are not even aware of the existence of this profession. （24 May, Changshan）
Like many of his colleagues, Feng had once given up on the profession because of a decline in business. Since things have now changed, Feng has returned to his profession as a bamboo product artisan.
"The crabs caught by fishermen need to be packed in crab buckets, and without the lids, the crabs would have to crawl out. But the plastic lids are not breathable and can suffocate the crabs in the buckets. The bamboo lids I make from bamboo that both prevent the crabs from crawling out and allow them to breathe are very popular with fishermen. So my businesses have taken a turn for the better again."Feng said. Furthermore, with people becoming more environmentally conscious in recent years, there is a growing market for bamboo products again. （24 May, Changshan）
The population of the countryside has been greatly reduced due to urbanisation. The elderly make up the majority of the village and many of the young people have gone to work in the urban. In a few days' time it will be the traditional Chinese festival that is the Dragon Boat Festival. The elderly person in the picture is shown pacing back and forth in front of her home who is looking forward to her children coming home to celebrate their reunion with her. （25 May, Changshan）
