Huamao village: A rags-to-riches story to tell

Many villagers have turned their houses into a hotel integrating cantering, residence and entertainment. [Photo by Zhang Xingjian/chinadaily.com.cn]

At here, it is not a strange thing to see many villagers have turned their houses into a hotel integrating cantering, residence and entertainment. For instance, visitors can rent part of the farming land to plant vegetable and fruit planting or pick up fruits by themselves.

A local farmer told me that it was a win-win strategy. For one thing, visitors would get a fresh experience and take green foods assuredly, and for another, they could make money about one million yuan annually to better their lives.

At present, a total of 42 rural hotels have been running in the village, attracting more than 250 farmers to return to the hometown to start businesses with an overall turnover of 135 million yuan in 2015.

"Wherever you go, you will see a picturesque scene," Pan Kegang, secretary of the Party committee in Huamao village, said to me proudly, adding that tremendous changes had happened here.

"The most obvious change is the income of farmers. In 2014, the per capita income only reached 8,000 yuan, but the figure roared to 12,607 yuan just within a year," Pan said.