Before 2014, many young people left the village for jobs as migrant workers or to start businesses in cities. Mostly only women, children and the elderly remained.

"Many fields were abandoned, and some streams were turned into gutters, with rubbish in the water," Li said, likening the village to an empty shell.

The situation was so bad that at one stage the city recommended Yuanqianshe be demolished.

Yet the village's fortunes changed in 2014, when Xiamen launched its Beautiful Xiamen strategic plan, which encourages community efforts to upgrade living places. Li said the community focus is similar to what has been happening in Taiwan.

A survey of the village found that several buildings dated back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. "They are no longer habitable, but protecting old buildings is like caring for the elders in a family," Li said. "The nostalgia can connect people."

Working as the village's assistant director, she encouraged the development of rural tourism and got its jobless young people to join in.

Li and the villagers cleaned up chicken coops, pigsties, shabby toilets and gutters, collecting 500 metric tons of garbage.

They also paid special attention to making use of old things. For example, abandoned stone mills and troughs were transformed into decorative water containers in flower beds and gardens.