Chongqing - In a village in Chongqing, Qiu Zhihong — known to locals as "Secretary Xiao Qiu" — became an unexpected internet sensation by playing the role of a “boss” in short videos.
But becoming an internet celebrity was never the goal.
For Qiu Zhihong, the videos were a way to put his village in the spotlight — to attract visitors, help local farmers sell their produce, and show people a different side of rural life. The idea started simply enough. At first, the young team behind the account tried different styles and followed popular short-video trends. Then they noticed something interesting: the contrast between a "boss" persona and a rural village was hard to miss.
The first video quickly took off, gaining thousands of likes and tens of thousands of views within just a couple of hours. From there, the account's reach continued to grow.
But for Qiu Zhihong, views only matter when they lead to something more.
When traffic is good, the team helps farmers sell more produce. When traffic slows down, they turn to livestreaming. Pumpkins, rapeseed oil, loquats, and other local products have all found new customers through their videos and livestreams.
The impact goes beyond agricultural sales. Heping Village in Dazu has also become a destination for visitors. What was once a place that attracted few tourists now has people coming to pick fruit, experience traditional crafts, enjoy afternoon tea and explore the village.
For local residents, the changes are visible. More visitors mean more opportunities, while the village itself continues to develop into a place that feels increasingly like a rural holiday destination.
But Qiu Zhihong does not see the "boss" persona as something that should define him forever. The character was simply a popular cultural symbol — one tool that happened to work. Sometimes, he appears in the videos wearing work clothes and a straw hat, presenting a more familiar image of rural life.
The goal is to keep the message positive while still finding ways to reach people. For Qiu Zhihong, coming back to his hometown was never just about returning home. After receiving an education and gaining new perspectives, he wanted to bring the ideas and ways of doing things he had seen in cities back to his village.
The "boss" may be the character people remember. But behind the character is a village official trying to build something much bigger — a future where more people know the village, more visitors come to experience it, and local farmers have more opportunities to thrive.