Zen and the art of old-style living

The cozy interiors of some of the bed-and-breakfast facilities in Shanghai. [Gao ErqiangI/China Daily]

Jiang, a freelance interior designer, once stayed at a friend's home for several months while he was looking for a job in Shanghai after he graduated. He enjoyed the experience so much that he decided to repay the favor by running a B&B to accommodate backpackers from home and abroad.

He has a love for Japanese culture so decided to infuse the space with a theme to reflect this. He transformed the 10-square-meter yard at the entrance into an zen-like space with a glass roof, bamboo, decorative stones and tatami mats. Inside he added a touch of modernity by using remote-controlled lights.

Business can at times be overwhelming, especially when he decides to advertise on multiple platforms, says Jiang, who was born in Northeast China and raised in Shanghai.

However, turning a profit is not his main preoccupation, he says. Rather, the business is more about a sense of sharing and making new friends. He has had more than 100 people stay at his B&B since it opened, and many have become his good friends. He frequently uses the revenue to buy additional furnishing for the home, he says, because this helps "create a positive cycle".

Lodging is not the only service that Jiang provides. Stefan Schmid from Germany, who spent two weeks in Jiang's B&B since late October, says Jiang took him on tours to the surrounding old communities and bustling shopping districts, getting him to taste local delicacies and telling him stories about the city.