"It was pretty hard at the beginning since I had to take care of everything, including design, selecting the material and decorating, but with the help from the investors and local government, we made a guesthouse that met our expectations," he said. "We felt a great sense of fulfillment when the guesthouse received its first guests."

As more visitors came to the guesthouse, more villagers decided to join the project. Now, there are more than 10 renovated houses in Sigong that are receiving guests.

"The income of the villagers increased, and Sigong is using more than 1,000 laborers from nearby villages to meet construction demands. We believe there will be more job opportunities after all the renovations are completed," Li said.

Meanwhile, he has invited a number of artists to create vivid outdoor art with local characteristics to cover the walls of many guesthouses.

"We respect the advice of the designer and artists. They want to make our village a better place," Li said.

"I hope with our joint efforts, the village will be a calling card for Ili and that people here can live a better life."