While some might be irked at the thought of living in peace and quiet, some grow to appreciate it. Such is a man named Liu Shengjiu.

Liu is reportedly the only man living in Xuenshanshe village in Gansu province, reports CCTV. He has been living in his home for about 10 years, but not entirely alone – he lives with some sheep.

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This was not the way the village was more than 10 years ago. Back then, Liu used to live with his mother in their home, while other villagers that amounted to about 20 families used to thrive in the village. However, due to the increasingly scarce resources, the villagers left over time, leaving Liu and his mother.

Most of the villagers were gone by 2006. Liu, on the other hand, reportedly stayed behind to take care of his mother who was growing old. After she passed away, Liu was left in the village by himself, with some sheep to take care of.

Liu said that surviving in Xuenshanshe village is not hard for him. However, for some people who aren’t used to his kind of lifestyle, it will be very difficult: Liu has to for a ways to get some water, and has to walk several miles to purchase any food item, so he does his best to be self-sufficient. On top of that, he only has sheep and no one else to talk to.

Liu also gets some extra money taking care of the nearby forest. And since he has the whole village to himself, Liu can pretty much just move anywhere he wants, albeit the village’s houses are damaged and at times contain relics of its former residents. Liu’s home itself is quite cozy: he has electricity, cell phone service, and an extra bed in case somebody comes to visit.

Yet despite the peace and quiet, along with the comfort that he has gotten used to, Liu says he still prefers to transfer to a more populated place “when the time comes.”

TagsLiu Shengjiu, Xuenshanshe Village, Gansu Province, sheep, living alone, forever alone