The desire to lift China out of poverty is at the heart of the country's ambitious reform and opening up policy. The policy has been a success but the Chinese government says no stone should be unturned, no village forgotten. CGTN's Lindy Mtongana visited Dajidian Village in Hebei Province, to discover how art and ancient culture are bringing prosperity to small towns.

Sun Shunxiang is a craftsman. His speciality? The zhuma - or bamboo horse; an ancient craft he learnt from his father. The past and the present seem to co-exist here in Dajidian - a village that is proud of its cultural heritage.

SUN SHUNXIANG, CRAFTSMAN DAJIDIAN "This village dates back to the Shang Dynasty. It was built 3,000 years ago and it is rich in culture and history."

In ancient times, Dajidian was an important centre of trade and commerce. But despite its cultural significance, over the years the village itself remained poor.

SUN SHUNXIANG, CRAFTSMAN DAJIDIAN "In the past, the roads were muddy, and when it rained it was impossible to pass. But now the roads and homes have been rebuilt, and many historic sites too. So the environment, the living standards and our cultural literacy has improved!"

It's no coincidence that these improvements have coincided. In fact authorities in Dajidian intentionally invested in art and history to drive development. In the last decade, Dajidian has been given new life as a cultural tourism destination.

LI QIANCHEN MEMBER OF DAJIDIAN VILLAGE PARTY BRANCH "Our former party secretary attached great importance to the protection of culture and historic sites in the village. Under his leadership we protected and restored many cultural and historic sites. This has continued under our incumbent secretary. In 2014 we started to invest in a cultural village with traditional culture as a key characteristic."

China's Craftsman Valley and Cultural Innovation Village is still under construction with Phase-1 open to visitors. But once complete it will boast an art gallery, a library, a concert hall, artists, residents and a hotel - all integrated with the village's natural beauty. It's being built by the Yunxiangju Group - developers who have a strong belief in the power of the arts.

ZHANG YANLING, GENERAL MANAGER YUNXIANGJU GROUP "We believe in using art and culture to help guide people to learn and discover beauty. Through our different projects, villagers can broaden their horizons, beyond what they have learned from books."

The investment in art has created jobs and opportunities. Even the younger generation is choosing Dajidian over big cities like Beijing.

SUN YUJIA, RESIDENT DAJIDIAN "I love the atmosphere of this village - where people know each other and greet each other. So after graduation I chose to return, to stay and work here. I want to contribute my strengths to the development of Dajidian."

LINDY MTDONGANA DAJIDIAN "In the past China relied on industry and manufacturing to lift people out of poverty. But Dajidian is a unique example of what kind of change is possible when a nation invests in its own art, culture and traditions to transform the lives of its citizens. LINDY MTONGANA, CGTN, DAJIDIAN, HEBEI PROVINCE, CHINA."