Chongqing — Perched along the cliffs near southwest China’s Ayi River Scenic Area, a once-declining Miao village is drawing new attention after an extensive preservation and revitalization campaign transformed it into a rural tourism destination.
Hujiawan, a traditional Miao village near the Ayi River Scenic Area in Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County, is among a growing number of historic villages in Chongqing being restored through programs aimed at preserving cultural heritage while improving living conditions and creating new economic opportunities.
Traditional villages in China are widely regarded as important repositories of folk culture and rural history. In recent years, Chongqing has completed six rounds of surveys and applications for China’s national traditional village protection program. According to the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, 164 villages in the municipality have been included on the national list of Chinese Traditional Villages, while 100 municipal-level demonstration sites for traditional village preservation and development have been established.
Aerial view of Hujiawan, a traditional Miao village near the Ayi River Scenic Area in Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County, Chongqing, southwest China. (Photo/Li Jing and Zhao Yong)
Originally a quiet settlement known mainly to local residents, Hujiawan sits amid the mountainous landscape overlooking the nationally rated 5A-level Ayi River Scenic Area. Viewed from above, the emerald waters of the Ayi River wind through the mountains below clusters of traditional Miao-style homes with dark-tiled roofs and wooden stilted structures. Newly paved roads and upgraded public facilities now blend with the village’s preserved architectural character.
Residents say conditions were once far less favorable.
"In the past, transportation was inconvenient and infrastructure was poor, so many residents moved away to places with better living conditions," said Peng Yunchang, who grew up in the village.
Many homes had deteriorated with age, while sanitation and public infrastructure lagged behind modern standards.
To address the problems, local authorities launched a renovation project focused on improving ecological livability while preserving the village’s traditional appearance.
Using funding tied to rural living environment improvement and traditional village preservation programs, authorities renovated 36 homes featuring traditional Miao architectural styles. The project also upgraded courtyards and pedestrian walkways, installed nearly 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) of safety railings, added streetlights and courtyard lighting, expanded rainwater and sewage pipeline networks, and built integrated sewage treatment facilities.
Traditional Miao-style homes are seen at Hujiawan near the Ayi River Scenic Area in Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County, Chongqing, southwest China. (Photo/Li Jing and Zhao Yong)
A cultural performance venue for traditional Miao folk songs was also constructed as part of the project.
Officials said the restoration work followed the principle of "repairing the old as it was," avoiding large-scale demolition and preserving the village’s original cultural landscape.
The renovated village officially opened to visitors on Sept. 25, 2025, according to local authorities.
Local officials say the project was designed not only to improve infrastructure, but also to increase residents’ incomes and encourage long-term community participation.
To encourage local involvement, the community collective rented several traditional homes from residents and renovated them into boutique homestays while preserving original wooden beams and structural elements.
One homestay project generated about 40,000 yuan (about $5,500) in revenue within six months of operation, according to local officials. Authorities said the revitalization efforts have created jobs for 32 nearby residents, with average annual household incomes increasing by more than 12,000 yuan (about $1,670).
Traditional cultural activities, including Miao folk song training sessions and Miao embroidery exhibitions, are now regularly held in the village as part of ongoing preservation efforts.
Local authorities are also developing an integrated rural tourism corridor linking Jiuli City and Hujiawan. The project includes fruit-picking gardens featuring cherries, grapes, strawberries and pears, while combining sightseeing, agriculture, leisure activities and cultural tourism.
Hujiawan is not the only traditional settlement in Pengshui County undergoing revitalization.
In Muoushui, a traditional village in Gantian Village of Anzi Town that was added to the fifth batch of China’s national traditional village list in 2019, all residents belong to the Xie clan of the Miao ethnic group.
The village adopted a community-led renovation model in which residents helped determine renovation priorities and funding arrangements. Housing restoration, underground utility upgrades and centralized waste treatment systems were implemented while preserving traditional architecture and local folk song traditions.
Another example is Luojiatuo Miao Village in Anzi Town, considered the largest and best-preserved clan-based Miao village in Chongqing.
More than 60 traditional stilted houses are built along the mountainside, where restoration work was carried out under a "minimal intervention" approach designed to preserve original wooden structures, stone pathways and ancestral halls.
The village has since been designated a national 3A-level tourist attraction and a National Ethnic Minority Characteristic Village.
According to local authorities, the village now receives more than 100,000 visitors annually and generates tourism revenue exceeding 30 million yuan (about $4.2 million) each year.
Officials say the transformation of these villages reflects Chongqing's broader approach to balancing preservation and development as part of China’s rural revitalization strategy.
From once-declining settlements to increasingly popular tourism destinations, the villages of Pengshui are becoming examples of how historic communities can be preserved while creating new economic opportunities for local residents.