Flowers adorn a corner in Gejia village, Ninghai county, Zhejiang province. [Photo by Xiao Da/chinadaily.com.cn]

At the beginning, Cong tried lecturing villagers about art designs, but failed to generate any enthusiasm.

"They thought I was insane when I proposed that they do art themselves. Some of them said I was a fraud," he recalled.

He then adjusted. He won the trust of the people by doing something for them first. After observing residents' activities for several days, he settled on making a bench on an open ground with stones and wood. It allowed residents to rest rest while chatting with each other. It soon ignited farmers desire for a better living environment.

Newly inspired, more than 150 villagers in Gejia have taken part in the art project, looking for spots that need improving and thinking about the best approach. Cong and his students offer suggestions and advice.

"The changes that are happening in our village are far beyond my expectations," said Ge Menghui, a 58-year-old resident who is part of the project.

Ge said the transition from misunderstanding to understanding is affecting virtually every resident.

"With the improvement of the village, more people are willing to join, which is making the environment even better. It is a virtuous circle," he said.

Qin Jirong contributed to the story.