Houhuang village an oasis of clam

Fujian province's Houhuang village has become a rural getaway for urbanites, with its proximity to the city, green fields, clean river and ancient buildings.[Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]

Cai Chong was busy entertaining guests when we visited her lovely yard in the village.

She moved to the village from Putian's Hanjiang district and opened a vegetarian diner last year.

"I always wanted to open a vegetarian restaurant, so I shut my bar business when I heard there was an opportunity here," says Cai.

Her restaurant looks more like a garden. Guests come to chill out and eat after they are tired from walking around the village.

Cai fell in love with the place and the relatively slow lifestyle after she moved in.

"Every day, I wake up hearing birds chirp and smell flowers," she says.

"And the first thing I do is sip tea and watch the plants and the lake."

Cai wants her guests to feel at home in her yard. So, she lets them pick vegetables and get them cooked.

"They can help with preparing the food and even washing up."

Cai offers us tasty round dumplings that are springy and glutinous and steeped in sesame oil and honey. She even teaches us how to make them.

The woman is content with her life here. She loves interacting with guests and has staged events to promote turning waste into environmentally-friendly detergent.

Cai's restaurant is just one of the fun experiences visitors can enjoy in Houhuang.