The vineyards of Maozhushan village in Quanzhou county. CHINA DAILY

Maozhushan village in Quanzhou county, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, is flanked by lush mountains and foliage, with a cement road winding its way around the village amid rows of northern-Guangxi-style dwellings and large vineyards that back onto the mountain foothills.

Though the village was named for moso bamboo, Maozhushan has become famous for its grapes. Its thriving grape industry has transformed the small mountain village.

Next to the village vineyards sits the modest three-story home of Wang Deli.

With the help of scientists and technicians dispatched to the village, Maozhushan has introduced better grape varieties. Wang was especially enthusiastic in this process, leading a charge to cut down the old vines, and planting 2,000 square meters of high-quality grape varieties.

His family has been recognized by the village for its exemplary role in grape cultivation. "Last year, I earned more than 100,000 yuan ($14,320) from grapes alone," Wang said with delight.

The joy of Wang's family encapsulates the development of the grape industry in Maozhushan village. It has become a distinctive industry fueling rural vitalization and growth in the incomes of residents.

In 2021, the village harvested over 1,750 kilograms per 0.67 hectares, about 250 kg more than the previous year. With the price increasing by over 2 yuan per kilo, the per capita net income generated from grapes alone reached 25,000 yuan.

"A good life is born out of hard work," the villagers agreed.

Strolling through Maozhushan, fresh signs of hard work abound — well-kept roads, lines of new buildings, a cultural activity center with a distinctive design, a theater, and microgardens planted with flowers and vegetables.

Now that the village is developed and attractive, more tourists are visiting it. New development opportunities have sparked a new shift in Maozhushan village. It has developed new industries and new forms of business, including eco-agriculture, recreational fruit picking, sightseeing and tourism, to create an integrated rural tourism model.

In Maozhushan, visitors can experience beautiful countryside that offers lush mountains, clear waters, and a reminder of the rural lifestyle.

In the past year, the number of visits to the village for tourism, fieldwork and research exceeded 300,000, a figure that was dozens of times higher than in previous years and brought an increase of over 10,000 yuan in the average income of each household in the village.

Today, the small mountain village is transitioning from relying solely on the grape industry to developing the agricultural, cultural and tourism industries. It has won numerous honorary titles, being recognized as a village of beauty and leisure at national level, and an eco-friendly village in Guangxi.