Still from the TV drama Small Town, Big Dreams (Source: Weibo official account of TV drama Small Town, Big Dreams)

Pingtan, a coastal gem in Fujian known for its stunning coastlines, unique stone houses and windmill fields, has recently gained extra attention as the key filming location for the hit TV drama Small Town, Big Dreams. Based on the true story of Longgang, China's first "town-turned-city" in Wenzhou where farmers built a city from scratch, the series airs on CCTV-8 and Tencent Video, resonating widely with audiences.

Starring Zhao Liying as Li Qiuping and Huang Xiaoming as Zheng Decheng, the drama vividly portrays grassroots cadres' simple belief that "the people build the city for the people." From planning roads to building houses, improving the environment to enhancing livelihoods, the plot closely follows the pulse of the times, recreating a decade full of courage and warmth. The show tackles heavy topics with a light touch, using humor from daily life—like the series of tests Yuehai residents devise for their new mayor—to make its story of struggle relatable and endearing.

Stone house cluster of Dafu Village

A bird's-eye view of Trunk Bay

Under a clear blue sky, rows of windmills spin gently—symbolizing Pingtan's harmony between sustainable development and breathtaking natural beauty.

In pursuit of authenticity both in storytelling and visual presentation, the film crew shot scenes across Pingtan from late 2024 to April 2025, including Elephant Trunk Bay, Dafu Village and the surrounding areas of the Emerging Industry Park. Most of the critical scenes of "city-planning" and "road-construction" in the film were shot here.

Immersed in nature's classroom, young learners and educators investigate the unique geological features that shape Pingtan's rugged coastline.

Local audiences have felt a strong emotional connection to the familiar settings. "The coastlines and casuarina forests in the scenes feel very intimate," said Lin Wen, a local in Pingtan. "The perseverance and collective spirit in the story truly reflect the fighting spirit of our parents' generation."

Adapted from Zhu Xiaojun's reportage China's Farmer City—a winner of the Lu Xun Literature Prize—the drama focuses on the wave of reform and opening-up in the early 1980s. It tells the story of cadres and residents in Pingchuan County who explored the establishment of "Yuehai Town" and built a home together on a muddy flat. Through one town, Small Town, Big Dreams mirrors the monumental journey of China's urban and rural development, inviting audiences to retrace a generation's collective memories and struggle.