In the turquoise waters off Lingshui Li Autonomous County, the Tanka community – often called China's 'sea nomads' – continues its 500-year maritime legacy while navigating modern opportunities. Their floating settlement at Xincun fishing port, a labyrinth of wooden walkways and aquaculture rafts, remains a living testament to generations of seafaring wisdom.
Each dawn, fishermen return through misty horizons with nocturnal catches, maintaining rhythms unchanged for centuries. But since 2023, new sounds mingle with creaking boat timbers: the curious questions of tourists experiencing Tanka-style bed-and-breakfast stays.
'Visitors learn to mend nets using traditional knots and taste seafood cooked in clay pots over open flames,' explains local resident Lin Meiying. Evening cultural performances now accompany sunset views across the raft village, creating what travel bloggers call 'Asia's most authentic aquatic cultural immersion.'
Authorities report a 40% increase in homestay bookings this year, with sustainable tourism initiatives channeling 30% of revenues into preserving floating architecture techniques. As the community balances tradition and modernity, their story offers insights into China's evolving rural revitalization strategies.
