Set to a stunning backdrop of blue sea and rolling green hills, the rustic stone houses of Beigang village in Fujian province look like they belong in a Hayao Miyazaki film.

The well-preserved Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) structures have long fascinated Liushui locals and tourists alike with their archaic charm and the authorities have decided to capitalize on this popularity by designating the village as a center for Pingtan culture and its creative industries.

Pingtan Tourism Shares Co, a government backed organization, hopes to create a blossoming local creative culture in Beigang that fuses tourism with the local arts scene. The village will look to adapt its image by developing a number of coffee and tea houses, as well as promoting art creations.

The company currently leases 23 of the village's houses and it hopes to use these properties for a range of functions including hosting exhibitions, calligraphy shows, and photographic displays.

Qiu Yingqiang, the company's executive vice general manager, believes this tourism project can facilitate local economic growth and create jobs. A team of entrepreneurs from Taiwan will be hired to focus on growing the arts and leisure opportunities in the charming village.

Pingtan Tourism Shares Co was founded in 2015 and it hopes to become a public listed company in next few years.

The beautiful village of Beigang is famed for its Qing Dynasty stone houses. [Photo from ptnet.cn]