Cultural tourism brings renowned dancing village a step nearer wealth

Performances of traditional music and dancing are helping to raise living standards in an isolated settlement, as Hou Liqiang and Yang Jun report from Fanpai, Guizhou province.

Things are peaceful at night in Fanpai village. The only sounds are the babbling of water in the stream and the occasional bark of a dog. There are no streetlamps, so only moonlight and the ambient glow from a few homes illuminate the settlement in Taijiang county, Guizhou province.

Only one small corner of the village provides a contrast, the cultural center, where groups of residents often gather for discussions that often last until long after midnight.