A dwelling featuring a mural in Xinjian village, Dinghai district, Zhoushan, Zhejiang province [Photo/WeChat account: zsqdly] 

Two villages in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, were recognized provincially for their efforts to tap into folk art resources to aid rural vitalization, the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism recently announced.

The two villages are Dinghai district's Xinjian village and Shengsi county's Huaniao village.

Founded in 2004, the 4.5-square-kilometer Xinjian village has in recent years been renovating residents' houses with murals to leverage its fine traditional cultural elements, including architecture, painting, and folk art.

The village has also held an array of cultural activities, such as cultural and creative product exchanges and study tours to promote its maritime culture featuring fishermen's paintings.

Huaniao village has been focusing on protecting its cultural heritages and trying to integrate the cultural elements into its infrastructure, homestays, and scenic spots, and has set up a low-carbon themed art museum.

The village has rolled out custom-made touring routes, on which tourists can admire its stunning sea views and unique folk art.