China woman leaves city job to live on uninhabited island, relishing off-grid lifestyle

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by Alice YanFebruary 9, 2026 at 11:00 AM

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short article 1 min

Yue Li, a former senior manager in Beijing, left her city job to work as a quality inspector at a fish feeding base on the uninhabited Dongzhai Island in the East China Sea. Her responsibilities include inspecting equipment, recording environmental data, and monitoring fish growth. Despite the remote location and lower salary of 3,000 yuan (US$430) per month, her off-grid lifestyle has garnered significant attention and envy online. Dongzhai Island is located near other uninhabited islets, with the closest inhabited island, Daishan Island, being approximately 40 km away. Yue Li documents and shares her experiences online.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Beijing 60% China 70% Daishan Island 70% East China Sea 80% Yue Li ×390% Dongzhai Island 90%

Keywords

uninhabited island 90% off-grid lifestyle 90% remote job 70% career change 70% quality inspector 60% fish feeding base 60% dongzhai island 50% east china sea 50%