Villages in Xiamen, Fujian province, have taken rural revitalization as a top priority and acted as microcosms of the rapid development experienced by the city over the past 40 years.

Junying village and Baijiaoci village in Xiamen's Tongan district are nearly 1,000 meters above sea level.

They feature fresh air, layers of terraced fields surrounding the mountains, lush greenery and picturesque scenery with year-round clouds and mist.

Under the guidance of "wearing a hat on the mountain and developing under the mountain", the villages planted trees on the mountain and crops at the foot of the mountain. What were once barren hills are now thick with lush trees.

The villages also strive to optimize their natural resources to create a unique rural tourism industry.

There are 13 farmhouses, 67 homestays, 535 guest rooms and 660 beds in the two villages.

In 2020, the per capita income of the villagers in Junying was 41,665 yuan ($6,520) and the collective income of the village was 729,000 yuan. The per capita income of the villagers in Baijiaoci is 41,280 yuan and the collective income of the village is 637,600 yuan. "The village is now greatly improved in terms of transportation, environment and humanities. It is very different from when I was a child. I had been outside for so many years. Returning to my homeland is a kind of devotion, so I resolved to come back," said Gao Zhiyun, a young man who now runs a bed-and-breakfast business. Gao's well-built homestays sold at top prices, which drove up the prices of homestays in surrounding villages.

There are close to 20 young people in the village like Gao who have returned to operate their own homestays. They have brought back vitality to the village, with new ideas and more people. The evolution of Junying and Baijiaoci villages is not only reflected in their economic development, but in the honors they have earned.

Junying was rated a Civilized Village and one of China's Most Beautiful Leisure Village in Fujian in 2015; and a National Civilized Village in 2017; a National Rural Governance Demonstration Village in 2019; and listed among a second batch of National Key Villages for Rural Tourism in 2020.

Baijiaoci was awarded a Civilized Village in Fujian in 2015; and China's Beautiful Leisure Village in 2018. It was rated a provincial Millennium Ancient Village and a provincial rural tourism four-star village in 2019. The village has a completely new look and infrastructure. The appearance of the village has been greatly improved.

Statistics from the Xiamen city bureau of statistics show that agriculture and rural areas have developed well. The total output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery in Xiamen has increased from 205 million yuan in 1980 to 2.89 billion yuan in 2020. Rural per capita income has increased from 210 yuan to 26,600 yuan; and the output value of the entire agricultural industry chain reached 102.1 billion yuan. The construction of rural revitalization, rural tourism, leisure agriculture and rural characteristic towns was accelerated.

Xu Wenjin contributed to this story.