A view of Huaniao village in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/Zhoushan Daily] 

Huaniao village in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, was recently included in a provincial traditional village protection and utilization program. 

Twenty-seven villages in the province made the list. 

Authorities in Huaniao village have in recent years been tapping its natural resources to promote art. For example, they have held activities such as art festivals, performances and salons that integrate local fishing customs with the arts. These events have attracted more than 30 artists to the village to create art. 

The village has also established cooperative ties with universities, including the Australian Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, to build a study tour base, as well as invested 110 million yuan ($15.46 million) to improve its public facilities. 

In addition, the village has established a special fund that uses the revenue generated from the auctions of these artworks to improve the lives of the locals. 

The artistic atmosphere in the village has already drawn a large number of young people to set up their businesses. Zhang Libin, for example, said that his visit to the island in 2017 was so memorable that he decided to open a homestay there. 

Today, he rents a house from a local, who apart from rent also receives a salary of 4,500 yuan for cleaning the property during the off-peak seasons. 

Local officials have said that homestays are important businesses as they not only increase the incomes of locals but also enhance the village's living environment.