Many are former city-dwellers in search of an elusive prize in authoritarian China: Space for open discussion and exchange of ideas. In a nearby cafe, others discussed art, sexual harassment and the listlessness of China's youth. As President Xi Jinping tightens his grip on the restricted personal freedoms of Chinese citizens and the economy stutters, exacerbating a youth unemployment crisis, Dali in Yunnan province has become a haven for those seeking to escape the pressure.