He adds that government watchdogs frequently visit them to "investigate", and are always greeted by a hongbao, that is, cash wrapped up in red paper, usually with one or two hundred thousand yuan in.

Loan sharking has also brought trouble to the town. According to Liu, some locals won't dare to return after borrowing money at high interest and losing it all in the business. "Although things are not bad to the point of murder or arson, beating debtors is a common thing," he says.