Xia Zhengwu checks messages from customers on his smartphone.Zhang Wei/For China Daily

Recognizing a potential boost for the local economy, the government of Youxian encouraged the county's financial institutions to support the drivers, some of whom received low-interest loans that financed contracts for cabs.

"Not all the drivers were able to obtain preferential loans. Only those who came here through government channels had that opportunity. The others, those who came in the wake of relatives or friends, had to raise the money themselves," Li said.

After years of building their businesses during Shenzhen's boom-time, the group gradually grew wealthy, boosting Youxian's economy. Some bought properties in the county or in Changsha, the capital of Hunan, while others returned home to start businesses.

"I own two 120-square-meter apartments in Changsha. I bought one of them last month - it cost about 800,000 yuan," said Hou, who left Youxian in 1988, and worked in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, and the Tibet autonomous region before arriving in Shenzhen in 2003.

The 51-year-old plans to return to Youxian in 2018. By then, he will have made social security payments in Shenzhen for 15 consecutive years, which means he will be entitled to a pension from the city government when he reaches 60.

Other drivers are determined to stay, and have brought their families to the city. Youxian has a population of 800,000 and, according to Li, about 100,000 locals now live in Shenzhen; some in Dawang, some in Shixia village in Futian district.

Cultural ecosystem

"Before they came to Shenzhen, some of the drivers worked in coal transportation, some were vendors and others sold pigs," said Ding Wei, a professor at the College of Mass Communication at Shenzhen University.

Ding has studied the taxi drivers for many years. She regards them as intelligent and creative entrepreneurs, who have figured out the laws of the taxi market and developed a sound cultural order that has gained wide recognition.

"The influx of Youxian people into Shixia has exerted a tremendous impact on the cultural ecosystem of the village. It is a kind of 'cultural reconstruction,'" she said, referring to the way the drovers cooperate to maximize work and revenue.

In Dawang, reminders of Youxian can be seen everywhere. On the roadsides, there are several eateries called Xiangyou - "Xiang" is the abbreviation for Hunan, while "You" represents Youxian - and close by, in front of the Dawang market, three women clasped bags of groceries and chatted in the Youxian dialect.

A man in a smart blue shirt and black jacket walked out of a small restaurant and headed for a silver Honda. A Youxian native who works for Didi Chuxing, he had just finished lunch and was about to start the afternoon shift. "I like to eat in the village. The food in the restaurants here suits my taste," he said.

Although most of the drivers have lived in Shenzhen for more than a decade, they are still more accustomed to life in their hometown. They lead the Youxian lifestyle in the city. If business continues to dry up, more of them may be returning to the county.

"The good days for taxi drivers are gone," Li said.

"Ten years ago, we never imagined that WeChat would be created and become so prevalent. Similarly, several years ago we could never have expected that the taxi business would be hit so hard by online cab-hailing services. Technology is developing so quickly. We have to keep up with the times and prepare for change all the time."

Meng Jing contributed to the story.