Dawang's calm appearance belies concerns about future

On a Friday afternoon in early April, I boarded a bus to Dawang village in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

The village sits at the foot of Wutong Mountain, the highest point in the city, and on weekends and holidays, hordes of Shenzhen residents visit to climb the mountain and breathe the clean air.

Unlike many urban villages scattered around Shenzhen, Dawang is removed from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis. The long, spiraling mountain road that leads to the village ensures that the jarring noise of the city is kept at bay. The place is a hidden paradise.