During the Spring Festival, Xu's restaurant served more than 80 tables in a single day, earning revenue of around 30,000 yuan ($4,600).

Jinhua village is now referred to as Qicai Buluo, meaning Colorful Tribe, where each family - which now provides food, a farmstay and sightseeing to tourists - paints its house in a different color.

Seen from afar, the village looks like an opal lying on a green carpet.

Two hours north of Zunyi city is Fenghuang village, which is inside a wetland eco-park.

In the park, flowers bloom, birds chirp, and wind blows over clear water.

The land used to be flooded, according to 46-year-old Fang Mingjun who used to plant rice there, but could barely feed his family.

But Fang says the situation has improved since 2014, when an environmental restoration project was launched by the local government.

Trees were planted and a small dam was built to store water.

"Instead of planting rice, now I plant flowers," says Fang. "And along with five neighbors we opened a farmstay, which brings in around 10,000 yuan a month."

Changes in the villages of Fenghuang and Jinhua are examples of green development taking place in Guizhou province in recent years.

Speaking of the development, Liu Yuankun, vice-governor of Guizhou province, told a news conference during the Eco Forum Global Annual Conference last weekend: "We take advantage of our natural resources, which is our biggest treasure. We are developing suitable and modern agricultural methods for our mountainous landscape."