Merging several villages into new housing projects began on a small scale; the point was to free land for 'rural rejuvenation' (i.e. repurposing) by clearing it of separate houses and small family plots. This stepped up in Shandong in 2020, showcasing rural revitalisation ‘achievements’. Land takeovers yielded funding for local governments; homes were demolished before new housing was built. Non-farm jobs failed to emerge as expected: millions of farmers found themselves exposed to risk. Forced village mergers are banned in the new land management regime.