Dali Draws 407,000 Migrants as Designers and Chefs Flee China's '996' Work Culture
According to the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture People's Government, the number of migrants in Dali, Yunnan province, surged to 407,000 in 2025, marking a 49% rise. Situated at an elevation of 1,900 metres, the city draws professionals seeking an escape from the demanding '996' work culture. Designer Xie Ke, who relocated in 2004, has developed hospitality ventures such as Qing Shan 49 and Qing Shan Hot Spring. In 2022, Chef Xu Kai established Trout after a motorcycle journey, utilizing local produce. Furniture designer Shun Li Li intends to open a shop for local craftspeople, while architect Baxun Zhao is working on an art museum. Rent is more affordable than in Shanghai, averaging CN¥5,000 for a three-bedroom apartment. American Brian Linden cautions about lifestyle shifts due to the influx of affluent migrants. The total population of Dali stands at 660,700.
Key facts
- Migrants to Dali from elsewhere in China reached 407,000 in 2025, up 49 per cent year on year, per the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture People's Government.
- Designer Xie Ke moved from Chongqing to Dali in 2004 and built a four-storey home in the Shan Shui Jian neighbourhood.
- Xie's home inspired hospitality projects Qing Shan 49, a seven-room retreat, and Qing Shan Hot Spring in a historic courtyard.
- Chef Xu Kai left a Shenzhen fine-dining job in 2022, toured China by motorcycle, and opened Trout in Dali using Yunnan ingredients.
- Furniture designer Shun Li Li (Dengzhou) moved from Wenshan in 2008 and will open a homeware and lifestyle shop for local artisans.
- Brian Linden spent $1m (€880,000) in 2008 to convert a traditional Bai courtyard gatehouse into the Linden Centre in Xizhou.
- A furnished three-bedroom apartment in Dali's old town rents for about CN¥5,000 (€644) a month, at least 40 per cent less than central Shanghai.
- Dali's population is 660,700; a 70-year lease for foreigners costs approximately CN¥20,000 (€2,581) per sq m.
Entities
Artists
- Xie Ke
- Xu Kai
- Shun Li Li
- Dengzhou
- Baxun Zhao
- Brian Linden
- Yujiang Mou
- Wang Yiyang
- Wang Yi
Institutions
- Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture People's Government
- Monocle
- Eleven Madison Park
- The French Laundry
- Trout
- Qing Shan 49
- Qing Shan Hot Spring
- Linden Centre
- Zuczug
- Heytea
- Luckin
- Mixue
- Ben Ka
Locations
- Dali
- China
- Yunnan
- Chongqing
- Erhai lake
- Cangshan mountains
- Shan Shui Jian
- Xizhou
- Shanghai
- Beijing
- Shenzhen
- New York
- California
- Pu'er
- Jianchuan county
- Mekong
- Wenshan
- United States
Sources
- Monocle —