Rocky road to success worth it for entrepreneur couple

Lin Chi-yuan understands more than most that "rocking out" can be a smart business strategy.

He and his wife discovered that the rocks scattered across the archipelago of Pingtan - also known as Haitan - off Fujian province produce uniquely different sounds when struck with hammers.

"So my colleagues and I began collecting rocks of various shapes and sizes from the mountains of Pingtan," Lin said at the 10th Straits Forum in the port city of Xiamen, Fujian. The weeklong event closed on Monday. 

Pingtan consists of more than 100 islets and is known for its many rocky and treacherous cliffs.

But Lin has achieved solid business success on the main island, which is also a free trade zone about 126 kilometers from Taiwan. 

"In June 2015, my wife and I came to Pingtan to sell tea leaves and handicrafts from our hometown in Taiwan," Lin said. "One day we happened across a village in Pingtan called Beigang, and we were amazed by the rock houses."

Beigang has about 400 families, but most of the young people have left for better jobs in the cities, leaving behind only the elderly, women and children. Local lore has it that residents were scared their roofs would be blown away by the strong ocean winds, so they piled rocks on them. Later, they used rocks to build entire homes. Impressed by the unique architecture and local hospitality, the couple decided to start a business in the "rock village".

"We wanted to use our experience developing homestays in Taiwan to try to build up accommodations business in Beigang," Lin said.

A slew of business-friendly policies helped their commercial plans take shape. One such policy was in August 2015 when a business park opened, aiming to lower the startup costs of enterprises launched by young people. 

Lin and his wife registered in the park and rented five rock houses in Beigang. They collected old wooden desks and chairs from schools, as well as fishnets and driftwood from the seashore, to furnish and decorate the homes.

"We wanted to make best use of the resources here and give the village a new sense of style," Lin said. 

But it was a rocky road to success at first. Locals were not in the habit of renting out rooms to strangers, and some could not even speak Mandarin. However, officials soon solved their problems by helping Lin and his wife better communicate their business plans with villagers. The officials even invited seasoned craftsmen to help with decorations.

After six months of preparations, the couple's project - Rocks Can Sing - opened to the public. Their business features overnight lodgings, a restaurant, a cafe offering live music, and even a souvenir shop.

"When you get close to Rocks Can Sing, you can hear artists playing music with the rocks while sipping coffee in rock houses," Lin said. "The project quickly became a success, attracting visitors from the mainland and Taiwan. Some Taiwan artists even come to the village to seek artistic inspiration." 

During the May Day holiday, average daily visitor numbers in Beigang exceeded 10,000. Rallied by the couple's success, authorities decided to designate Beigang as "a village with a cultural and creative industry" to attract more businesses.

"The market in Taiwan is almost saturated, while the mainland provides more opportunities," said Lin's wife, Syu Lin-yi. "I like it in Pingtan, so I have brought my relatives here, too."

In Beigang, more than 30 young people have also settled and started similar businesses. "We hope to breathe new life into the village through art and homestays," Lin said.