Designer trains sights on rural tourism

A grotto where Li studied as a young man, known as Li Cave, lies in a valley, with two temples a short distance away. It draws many tourists, yet in 2015 most people only made daytrips as the village offered no accommodation options, according to Chang.

She said the village had only a few hundred residents at the time, despite room for nearly 1,000, and most houses were two or three floors but usually inhabited only by one couple and their elderly parents. Her team saw an opportunity to develop homestays.

"Homestays are a mature industry in Taiwan. We like to stay in homestays when we travel, and our families transform empty rooms into homestays. But back then it was just taking off in the mainland," Chang said.

Government funds were used to help two families convert their homes into guesthouses, as well as improve the surrounding roads, and more villagers are signing up after seeing the success they have had.

Today, Jixi has 50 beds available for visitors, with prices ranging from 120 to 150 yuan ($17 to $22) a night. All are occupied in peak tourist seasons.

Chang was responsible for communicating with the residents and supervising the work, which is ongoing. "My team set the basic decoration standards and assisted the villagers," she said. "They were encouraged to keep their original living habits, such as raising chickens in the yards, as it's attractive to visitors."

Companies have also started investing in the community, such as in a meditation center and other tourism resources, creating job opportunities. Chang said the economic benefits are beginning to show, and villagers are also increasingly conscious about sanitation and the environment.