VideoBuffaloes 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.