Artists revive crumbling village into tourist resort

In 2015, artist Zhao Lichun visited Zhangjialou and was attracted by its special layout and old architecture. Trees and houses sit along a river that runs through the village, and walls of the architectures were built with saggars, which met Zhao's aesthetic standards.

"I realized its value as a cultural relic and decided to establish an art community to restore and preserve the ancient village, as well as promoting development of the area," said Zhao, who has been focused on protecting ancient villages.