The Green Rural Revival Program, which sprouted in neighboring areas in the early 2000s, inspired hope in Lujiacun, Qiu said.

"We started restoring the environment in 2005 by tackling sewage and waste disposal, and by upgrading road pavement and rural toilets," Qiu said. "But most villagers were not participating, and some even complained that we had started a fuss over nothing."

When she took office as the village head in 2011, Qiu was determined to address residents' habit of littering and invited them to become actively involved.

"We equipped every block with rubbish bins and hired cleaners to handle the transport and disposal of waste," she said.

For months, she and her colleagues visited each household to persuade residents not to throw their trash around public places and get them to use the trash bins.

In the worst confrontation, Qiu was kicked out of a house.

"I think it's a sense of responsibility that buoyed me through the most difficult times," she said. "The adoption of the Green Rural Revival Program had proved effective and successful in other villagers at that time, and Lujiacun needed to follow suit."

Progress was slow but steady.

"Finally, when a person strolled out on an ordinary day, the oh-so-familiar smell of mountains of waste was gone and replaced by a clean breeze. We knew it worked and it's worth it," Qiu said.

Lujiacun village is now home to pristine grassland that stretches into the distance and rows of neat farm houses. A newly built sightseeing train now carries visitors from all over the country who want to enjoy the views of green, lush mountains.

"The program has laid a solid foundation for the village to tap into its natural landscape and develop rural tourism," Qiu said. "The achievement came from teamwork.