HUZHOU -- Zhejiang's Green Rural Revival Program, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, has made a big difference in the lives of rural residents in the eastern Chinese province, including in the mountainous and bamboo-rich county of Anji.

The province launched the program in 2003 with plans to renovate some 10,000 incorporated villages and transform about 1,000 central villages into examples of moderate prosperity.

Thanks to the efforts, the image of the province's countryside has been comprehensively lifted. A total of more than 2,100 featured villages and over 3 million beautiful rural courtyards have been built.

Anji is among these models of rural revitalization and is fortunate to have maintained its lush natural environment. Over a quarter of its area is covered by forests.

Moreover, the per-capita disposable income of the local villagers is among the highest nationwide. Its environment attracts city dwellers in search of a tranquil life.

Peter Wollman, a bamboo business owner, said he has been in China for quite a few years and has happily settled in Anji.

"I love Anji. Anji is the best place in China. It's big enough to be convenient and has the amenities but small enough to be friendly," he said.

With former city folk becoming villagers, new lifestyles are also gaining popularity with boutique coffee shops and art galleries emerging. Drinking a cup of freshly roasted coffee was not long ago regarded as an urban luxury in China, but it is now readily available in the countryside.

Though it might not be clear from a trip to the county today, the picturesque Anji has a dusty past. Twenty years ago, locals relied predominantly on the mining industry, which caused heavy pollution even as incomes rose.

With the arrival of the Green Rural Revival Program, the area began to shake off its reliance on the raw materials industry and transitioned to more environmentally-friendly ways of doing business.

"The idea of 'lucid waters and green mountains are invaluable assets' was put forward here. As tourism industry practitioners, we believe that preserving a good environment is our first priority. We have the most beautiful villages, the best environment, and we welcome visitors all year long," said Xia Wenchao, manager of the Agritourism Amusement Park.