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Houjie Town, located in Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, is home to San Tuen Village, once renowned for its production of "Wow Grass Mats." Nowadays, the traditional grass weaving workshops have vanished, replaced by modern factories. San Tuen has transformed into an industrialized village. As I recently visited San Tuen, I passed by places like the Wei Shi Handbag Factory, Reward Garment Factory, and Huayang Footwear Co., Ltd. It was overwhelming to see how much the area has changed.
Driving through the village, I encountered picturesque pavilions, bridges, and water features, reminiscent of Tuen Mun Park. Sixty years ago, despite the abundance of water and fields, life was extremely challenging. However, today, San Tuen resembles a bustling city. In Tuen Mun Park, I met some elderly locals reminiscing about the past. Over six decades, their stories reflect the dramatic transformation of their village.
Currently, San Tuen Village has only around 2,500 registered permanent residents, yet it hosts 32 foreign-invested enterprises, contributing a total of 700 million yuan to the local economy. Back in the 1950s, the first grass weaving workshop was established in San Tuen. During its peak, the weaving workshops thrived, earning up to 67,000 yuan per month. By 1983, the last workshop closed down. Following this, the village committee reorganized the land into three distinct zones: industrial, residential, and public facilities areas. This marked the beginning of San Tuen’s journey toward industrialization and urbanization.
Chen Tongkun, a senior villager born in 1934, vividly recalls the significant changes over the years. In the 1930s and 1940s, he described San Tuen villagers as constantly struggling with hunger. The village's history recounts tales of two mounds along the Dongjiang River and a local pier, symbolizing efforts to cultivate nearby lands. Chen Changkun left for work at the age of eleven, and at that time, 70% of families in Shangtun couldn't even afford a full meal per week. After the establishment of New China, farmers gained ownership of their land, though many still struggled to meet basic needs.
In the 1960s and 1970s, San Tuen's households focused heavily on mat and grass weaving products, exporting extensively. There were over a hundred workshops operating at the time, with grass weaving being a major supplementary income source for villagers. Zeng Xijia, who served as director of the "Grass-Weaving Workshop" for 18 years, noted that after the reform and opening-up policies, numerous factories moved in, leading to the dissolution of the workshops.
Chengmei Factory, one of the early foreign-invested enterprises specializing in toy clothing, exemplifies San Tuen's shift. Ouji Ming, who worked as an accountant for 23 years, explained how the government provided favorable incentives, including tax exemptions for three years, simplifying procedures, and granting licenses smoothly. By the mid-1990s, all village roads, including sidewalks, were paved with cement and equipped with streetlights.
Throughout this transformation, San Tuen residents have continuously innovated, particularly in profit-sharing models and factory construction methods. The profit settlement approach bases rental rates on factory size, simplifying agreements and reducing disputes. For factory construction, villagers collectively contributed funds akin to shareholding. The village committee reorganized the land into three zones—industrial, residential, and public facilities—with roads connecting them and preserving 300 acres of farmland. This layout laid the foundation for today’s San Tuen.
Today, San Tuen's villagers enjoy an average annual income of 150 million yuan. Each household receives 250 yuan monthly for essential expenses like food and cooking necessities. The prosperity brings a palpable sense of happiness among the villagers.
June 17, 2025