Dream Job? 23-Year-Old Earns Rs 8.5 Lakh Filming Clouds on Mountain in China

A 23-year-old Chinese vlogger, Li Sichen, was hired as a month-long "cloudscape observer" at China's Laojun Mountain. The unique job paid 60,000 yuan plus accommodation. Selected from over 3,500 applicants, Li filmed the mountain's scenery from sunrise to sunset, facing challenges like unpredictable weather.

What if your dream job involved living on a mountain, watching clouds and filming breathtaking views every day? For 23-year-old Chinese vlogger Li Sichen who goes by @xiaozao, that unusual opportunity became reality when he was selected for a month-long “cloudscape observer” position at Laojun Mountain in China’s Henan province.

The unique role paid 60,000 yuan, approximately Rs 8.5 lakh, for the assignment and also included accommodation. Laojun Mountain Scenic Area announced the position on July 8, attracting more than 3,500 applications within a week. Applicants were asked to submit videos using designated hashtags, with the quality and popularity of their content considered during selection.

Li, who uses the social media handle @xiaozao, was ultimately chosen as the attraction’s “No. 001 cloudscape observer”. A recent e-commerce graduate from Henan, he reportedly beat several professional photographers to secure the unusual assignment.

However, the job was far from simply sitting back and enjoying mountain views. Li’s working day began at around 5 am, with filming starting before sunrise and continuing until after sunset. He captured clouds, mist, mountain scenery, light shows and other views from different locations and angles for the tourist attraction’s online content.

The month-long assignment also helped Li improve his skills in video shooting, editing, colour grading and drone operation. But unpredictable weather created a major challenge. Since clouds and mist could not be controlled, some days failed to produce the footage he wanted. Li described dealing with unfavourable conditions as “tormenting.” As the assignment ended, he said, “Time flies.”

The unusual opportunity was created despite Laojun Mountain already having full-time video creators. As reported by the South China Morning Post, a Laojun Mountain representative surnamed Zhang said the attraction wanted “a third eye” to provide a fresh perspective on the scenic destination. The representative also indicated that similar cloudscape observer roles could be offered again.

Laojun Mountain is known for its spectacular “sea of clouds” and is one of China’s recognised Taoist mountains. The attraction is also classified as a 5A-level tourist destination, the highest category in China’s tourism rating system.