Bottling aroma for an ancient city

In 2010, responding to the government's call, Ronghua Holdings, the company founded by Zhang's mother in 1994, established cooperatives to help develop the local grape industry, and gradually constructed pastoral complexes that include vineyards, wineries, landscape parks, accommodation and digital health centers.

In the past decade, the village has undergone huge changes, and villagers' average annual per capita income has increased to 31,800 yuan.

In 2019, Ronghua Holdings developed a planting base of more than 13.3 hectares in Hujiazhuang village. Based on Guerlain's technology, seeds were sown for Damascus rose, Iris pallida, bitter orange, lavender, jasmine and other fragrant plants.

The agricultural development model, which involves international branding, planting, rural revitalization and social welfare, further improved the life quality of villagers.

"The flower sea of Hujiazhuang village nurtures hope and a new rising industry," says Zhang.

"The 'Xi'an' scent is like a seed. People all over the world will get to know Xi'an through this scented business card," Zhang says. "Hopefully more foreigners will visit Xi'an and be impressed by this city that makes me proud, and there is a bright tomorrow ahead for the residents."

Zhang's participation and contribution in this collaborative project is supported by her mixed background. She spent around 10 years, almost her whole adolescence, studying in France.

In 1999, when Zhang was 14, she had average grades. Her mother, Cui Ronghua, went on several business trips to Europe, realized the importance to master another language and decided to send her daughter away.

France was chosen as the destination, on the advice and help of one of her mother's friends, who was working at Xi'an Foreign Affairs Office and helped the girl find a reliable host family in France.

Zhang recalls that when she was applying for visa in the embassy, the French staff couldn't help but worry about the little girl who was about to travel to a strange country alone, and told her in Chinese that she could return home anytime.

"'Don't worry, let me have a go,' that's what I said, with my poor French which I just studied for two months," she says.