Rural planner gets 'stuck' in village

Li Pei-chen has helped residents transform their home into a clean, vibrant community

Four years ago, Li Pei-chen, a rural planner from Taiwan, was invited to join a village transformation project in Xiamen, Fujian province.

After her eight-month contract expired, she chose to stay in Yuanqianshe village, about half an hour's drive from downtown Xiamen.

"I felt I was on a business trip when I first came to Xiamen," she said. "But later I gradually became attached to the land as I met many people here who work with me to make it a better place."

The village is home to 750 residents - including about 200 young people - who used to depend on farming for a living.