Fujian province's Houhuang village has become a rural getaway for urbanites, with its proximity to the city, green fields, clean river and ancient buildings. (Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily)

A decade ago, this backwater was a mess. But, thanks to smart planning, it now draws urban folk looking for a rural getaway.

Houhuang village is picture of green fields, clean rivers, and ancient buildings with redbrick walls and red-tile roofs. Some are nearly a century old and used to serve as lookout towers for the Chinese Red Army.

Seen from on high, the buildings all resemble giant gems embedded on a green landscape.

The village, in Fujian province's Putian, is filled with tourists when we visit in early December. Some are enjoying barbecues, while others relax near a river. Everything seems peaceful under a blue sky.

"Beautiful mountains, fresh air, organic fruit and vegetables are among the highlights of Houhuang," says Xu Cong, the Party secretary of the village.

"It's a good place for urban folk to blow off steam, since it's close to the city."

The village is only a 20-minute drive from downtown Putian.

Houhuang, which covers an area of 1.5 square kilometers, has a population of roughly 1,000.

In the old days, many of its residents migrated to Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

Cai Chong was busy entertaining guests when we visited her lovely yard in the village.

She moved to the village from Putian's Hanjiang district and opened a vegetarian diner last year.

"I always wanted to open a vegetarian restaurant, so I shut my bar business when I heard there was an opportunity here," says Cai.

Her restaurant looks more like a garden. Guests come to chill out and eat after they are tired from walking around the village.

Cai fell in love with the place and the relatively slow lifestyle after she moved in.

"Every day, I wake up hearing birds chirp and smell flowers," she says.

"And the first thing I do is sip tea and watch the plants and the lake."

Cai wants her guests to feel at home in her yard. So, she lets them pick vegetables and get them cooked.

"They can help with preparing the food and even washing up."

Cai offers us tasty round dumplings that are springy and glutinous and steeped in sesame oil and honey. She even teaches us how to make them.