Morning river view in Shaxi

"People in my hometown say hello as a matter of politeness, while villagers here say it and mean it," she says.

She is very satisfied with her simple life. "I usually spend my day reading, writing, walking, doing yoga, and watching movies," says Zhou.

Zhou says she has seen a significant increase in the number of tourists over the past two years. "They spend up to a month here, drinking coffee, enjoying the sun and chatting," she says.

The involvement of international organizations in restoring local buildings, the ethnic Bai culture, the environment and historical significance of the township draws lots of tourists from home and abroad.

Nearly 950,000 tourists visited Shaxi last year, a 12 percent jump over the previous year, according to the local tourism authority. Roughly 80,000 foreign tourists, mostly from the UK, Switzerland and Finland made trips, up 40 percent on the previous year.

"Most tourists are coming to savor the local peoples' life", says Pu, adding that they usually stay for slightly more than a week.

The numbers of tourists usually peaks between March and November, when the weather is the most pleasant.

Foreign students have also taken quite a shine to Shaxi. "They carry their drawing kits, sit in front of the Xingjiao Temple and draw it," says Pu.

Meanwhile, the local government sees the potential of the ancient township and is working hard to attract more visitors.

Infrastructure is expected to be improved in the near future to make it easier for visitors.