Lyu has got a good measure of the positive changes in the village at the moment.

"The streets are cleaner, and the villagers welcome visitors coming from the outside," she says.

Under the influence of art, Lyu has also picked up a pen and some paper and learned to paint on her own.

"They (professional artists) said my work wasn't half bad, which encouraged me to continue," she says.

"I'll sign up for art activities in the future, and introduce our village to more travelers."

Contact the writer at yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn