• She left her busy life in Beijing in search of the island’s tranquility
• She now lives alone on a remote island, enjoying fishing and the natural surroundings

A young Chinese woman gave up her position as a senior manager at a major Beijing company to work on the uninhabited Dongzhai Island in the East China Sea.

Despite the modest salary of 3,000 yuan (about $430) per month, her decision sparked widespread admiration and envy online.

Local media reported that Yue Li, born in the 1980s, started working as a quality inspector at a fish feeding station on the deserted island, noting that nearby are other uninhabited islets, with the nearest populated island, Daishan, about 40 km away.

Her duties include checking the fish feeding equipment, recording water temperature and wave conditions, and monitoring fish growth.

Before moving to the island in mid-December, Yue had spent nearly two decades as a senior manager at a major Beijing real estate developer.

She explained that she left the city job due to constant work pressure.

“I traveled on business for nearly 300 days a year. In Beijing, I spent four hours daily commuting between home and office,” she said.

“I asked myself: is this the life I want?” she added.

Yue discovered the quality inspector position during a visit to Zhoushan in eastern Zhejiang months ago and was attracted to the role because it offered her long periods of free time despite only four days off every two months.

“I can escape the city’s hustle, read books, and enjoy the sunset and the sea,” she said.

Yue noted that fishing has become an enjoyable part of her routine, sharing photos of her seafood harvests on social media, and that the island provides an abundant supply of seafood.

“This experience will surely be a highlight of my life. I have found my freedom and inner peace in this simple place,” she concluded.