From earning an annual salary of 4 million to selling 400-yuan rooms—Tianqing Homestay sells time to travelers

Reported by Chen Zi-Yin / Taitung




▲Tianqing Homestay, far from the hustle and bustle, offers freedom and relaxation, along with the dream story of its owner, Ah Dong. (Photo / Reporter Chen Zi-Yin)

“I didn’t want to keep selling my time to others, so I chose to return to Taitung.” Once enjoying a 4-million-yuan annual salary and driving a BMW, Ah Dong felt it was cheap—because to him, the money earned from working day and night was worthless compared to the precious time that had been bought. Ten years ago, when his father fell ill, he began reflecting: “I’ve been away from Taitung for ten years, constantly selling my time to others. So why not sell it to myself?” And so, he resolutely returned to live in Taitung.

However, the dream of youth returning to their hometowns is never easy. Upon returning to Taitung, Ah Dong first opened a restaurant, which struggled for two years before going bankrupt. At that time, Ah Dong was left with only 600 yuan to his name.

 
Out of sheer imagination, he repainted his room and put it online to “find guests.” When someone booked the “guest room,” he would sleep on the sofa. The money he earned went toward buying decoration materials, or he would collect discarded items—which he called junk—that he then transformed. Brick by brick and tree by tree, Ah Dong built his dream homestay bit by bit.

▲Here, every plant and tree was personally built by Ah Dong—even the wooden boards were hammered in by him. What kind of courage and perseverance did Ah Dong have, who once earned a 4-million-yuan annual salary, to leave everything behind and return to Taitung? (Photo / Reporter Chen Zi-Yin)

Upon first visiting “Tianqing Homestay,” aside from being drawn in by the vast expanse of greenery, you’ll also be deeply touched by the homestay’s “unrestrained” atmosphere. Miraculously, the space, not deliberately designed, instantly makes you feel completely relaxed and at ease. This is related to Ah Dong’s unique philosophy of running a homestay. He said, “We always hope to remember everyone who comes here, to try our best to remember every face, because you are friends, not guests.” Ah Dong said that so far, he has at least 30,000 faces in his mind.



Based on this philosophy, making more or less money becomes less important—and that’s where the 400-yuan rate comes from. Running a homestay but not being money-driven is because “he believes money exists within every friend.” Ah Dong said, “The money I earn is little, but the money I don’t earn exists in a more valuable form among every guest who has stayed at Tianqing. If I ever run into trouble, I believe those 30,000 people will treat me as a friend and lend a hand.”