Lin and his wife registered in the park and rented five rock houses in Beigang. They collected old wooden desks and chairs from schools, as well as fishnets and driftwood from the seashore, to furnish and decorate the homes.

"We wanted to make best use of the resources here and give the village a new sense of style," Lin said.

But it was a rocky road to success at first. Locals were not in the habit of renting out rooms to strangers, and some could not even speak Mandarin. However, officials soon solved their problems by helping Lin and his wife better communicate their business plans with villagers. The officials even invited seasoned craftsmen to help with decorations.

After six months of preparations, the couple's project - Rocks Can Sing - opened to the public. Their business features overnight lodgings, a restaurant, a cafe offering live music, and even a souvenir shop.