[Photo provided to China Daily]

"They are my source of pain and happiness," Qin, 52, says of the ancient houses.

For years, his family and friends thought Qin was "crazy", as he went about buying dilapidated houses, most of which were sold by the original owners, who wanted to live in new houses in the 1990s. Many Chinese moved to apartments back then. The trend of selling old houses had dropped off by 2005, with local governments discouraging the sale of such houses on grounds of protecting cultural heritage.

Among Qin's "collection" are ancestral temples and opera houses.

"Back then, people couldn't understand my passion at all," Qin says, adding that the money from his regular business was invested in buying the ancient houses.

During his travels to rural areas, he sometimes even had to climb mountains to view an ancient temple deep in the valley.

He enjoys being alone and likes to listen to soothing music while making a pot of tea. He describes himself as a strong supporter of traditional Chinese culture. His office and house are both designed in traditional Chinese style.