The Dou Mi Ao International Art Village in Songyang county in Lishui, Zhejiang province. [Photo/WeChat account: wxlishui]

"It's such a surprise to see this kind of high-standard art gallery in such a remote mountainous village!" remarked tourists visiting an art museum in Shanlong village on Jan 6.

Since its opening on May 18 of last year, the art museum has instilled new cultural vitality into the small village, nestled in the mountains of Songyang county in Lishui, Zhejiang province.

The county has actively endeavored to attract renowned artists to the countryside and explore a new, feasible path for the utilization of old vacant residences, hoping to raise income growth.

For instance, the Doumi'ao village in Songyang has been built into the Dou Mi Ao International Art Village due to the settlement of talented artists within its borders.

Two consecutive sessions of the Doumi'ao Contemporary Art Exhibition were held in 2019 and 2021. More than 500 works of art from nearly 100 artists hailing from China and abroad were exhibited in this small village, transforming it into a spectacular natural art exhibition hall.

Moreover, in Songzhuang village, also located in Songyang county, a local painting exhibition room has captured the gleeful attention of tourists. Transformed from an old residence, the exhibition room displays 25 attractive works of watercolor, oil painting, and calligraphy.

To date, a total of 78 artists and 33 studios have arrived in Songyang, encompassing the fields of fine arts, traditional crafts, literature, architecture, and creative cultural arts. Several art cluster areas like the Dou Mi Ao Art Village have also been established, attracting even more visitors to this charming county in Lishui.