Laoniuwan Fortress sits on the banks of the Yellow River. /CGTN

Laoniuwan Fortress sits on the banks of the Yellow River. /CGTN

The Wanghe Tower is an important military watchtower built over 400 years ago. /CGTN

A villager sits in front of his home in the Laoniuwan Fortress. Before 2000, the local villagers earned a living working as migrant laborers in the city. Now, with the development of rural tourism, Laoniuwan is attracting an increasing number of visitors. At the time this photo was taken, all the villagers had moved out of the fortress except for one old man. /CGTN

Villager Guo Shuaisheng visits his old home in the Laoniuwan Fortress. /CGTN

Guo Shuaisheng and his brother run a hostel together in the village. /CGTN

Cooks prepare meals for customers at Guo Shuaisheng's hostel. The hostel began with five guest rooms but has since expanded to 46 rooms. Laoniuwan boasts more than 30 similar inns, and over 90 percent of local villagers work in the tourism industry. /CGTN

Guo Shuaisheng poses for a photo in his boat. Rowing boats and fishing used to be the traditional way of life in Laoniuwan, but the local villagers no longer rely on them for a living. Yet, Guo Shuaisheng sometimes reverts to his old hobby of catching fish for his customers. /CGTN

Guo Shuaisheng and his fellow villagers harvest potatoes. /CGTN

Villagers display a bumper harvest of potatoes. /CGTN

Guo Shuisheng picks crab apples in his courtyard. The Yellow River Basin is the birthplace of China's agricultural civilization. However, as Laoniuwan is located in a remote and barren area with harsh natural environment, it does not have a long and proud farming history. Crab apple trees have been planted to help develop the local economy. /CGTN

Guo Shuaisheng and his wife live in a new cave dwelling. /CGTN

Guo Shuaisheng and his wife. /CGTN

Guo Shuaisheng’s mother sorts dried fruit in her courtyard. She lives next to her son's hostel and grows a variety of vegetables, flowers, and fruit in her garden. /CGTN