When it comes to the biggest change seen in one Chinese village over the years, one official's response was literally down to earth.

"There isn't mud on your feet now," said Luo Di, Party Secretary of Dapuzi Village, a village of 2,000 people in China's Panjin.

China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs says over 80 percent of the nation's villages have launched clean-up campaigns since the end of last year.

"The roads were rough and soaking on rainy days. Now villagers don't need to wear boots in the rain. Many just walk on the street in their slippers," Luo smiled.

The movements have benefited many rural residents, including dancers who perform in the square.

It's much nicer to dance in the newly built square. We used to do it near the dirt track where they sell coal. After several dances, we'd be covered in sand and dirt from head to toe," said Chen Lifen.

Every evening, the 66 year-old dancer would go with her troupe to the village center, and enjoy leisure activities — dirt free. Besides the living environment, villagers' incomes have also gone up, thanks to a special kind of tomato grown in the alkaline soil.

Alkaline-tolerant tomatoes have become Panjin's signature farm produce. They have a higher added value in economic returns. That's about 30 times the return of growing rice," said Guo Xiangdong, the village's planting technical adviser, with pride.

A alkaline-tolerant tomato greenhouse can make 80,000 yuan every year, or about 11,000 U.S. dollars, 3,000 U.S. dollars more than the provincial per capita GDP last year.

"Next year I'm going to grow tomatoes in all three sheds. So I'm looking at about 240 thousand yuan. It's a good way to spend my retirement life while doing something profitable," said tomato farmer Guo Chunchang.

The village's authorities are also working to boost farm tourism. They encourage farmers to host events such as strawberry picking so city dwellers can come and enjoy life in the countryside.

Officials say this is one of the many steps to help the villagers improve their livelihood. And for the next stage of their rural revitalization, they would further push industries and go out to exchange experiences with others.