Story of sacrifice draws people to village

Apart from Deng's tale of sacrifice, the village boasts magnificent scenery and visitors escape to its cooler climate in summers. Last year, Zhangjiafen attracted 30,000 tourists from home and abroad.

"Nestled in the hills and surrounded by water, this place has drawn a great number of visitors," said Zheng Yunlong, Party chief of Zhangjiafen.

"In 2010, some villagers came up with the idea of running B&Bs so that tourists could stay overnight rather than rushing to leave before nightfall."

He said the idea evolved with support from the village and the township government, which helped set up a tourism cooperative to assist more residents to start B&Bs.

Thanks to its rapid development, the per capita net income of the village reached around 29,000 yuan in 2019, with all the villagers moving into new villas.

"Our village has witnessed both the history and tremendous changes in China over the past decades," Zheng Yunlong said.

"We will continue to contribute to China's goal to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects."

Xinhua