A wizened farmer leads a buffalo through a misty grove of gnarled trees in a small village in Xiapu, eastern China, closely followed by a woman in a straw hat. This tranquil image of an idealised rural China has now gone viral on Chinese social networks, from Douyin to Xiaohongsu, attracting crowds of smartphone-wielding day-trippers willing to pay up to 300 yuan ($40) to have their picture taken with the locals. "Back in the day, when we were sent down to the countryside, we used buffalo for ploughing," said Liang Liuling, 72, on holiday from the southwestern Guangxi region. "Now, they've become props for us elderly to enjoy." IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES