An aerial view of the lotus pond in Pingyuanchi village in Rugao, a county-level city of Nantong, Jiangsu province. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Pingyuanchi village in Rugao, a county-level city of Nantong, Jiangsu province, has been focusing on growing lotus to create a 1,000-mu (67-hectare) lotus pond culture park and develop its tourism industry since 2014.

The village has also carried out modern agricultural projects involving flower and wood bonsai and the growing of fruits and vegetables. Twenty-eight professional cooperatives and family farms have been established.

From 2017 to this year, the seven lotus festivals have witnessed the transformation of Pingyuanchi village's economy from weak to advanced.

Visitors admire lotus flowers in Pingyuanchi village, Rugao, a county-level city of Nantong, Jiangsu province. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

In July, thousands of tourists from Anhui, Shanghai, Henan and other places strolled along the wooden plank road around the lotus pond in Pingyuanchi, admiring the beautiful lotus flowers.

To accommodate more out-of-town tourists, the village has expanded its parking lot and encouraged villagers to build hotels, forming a one-stop-shop for eating, drinking, hanging out and shopping.

More than 300 new jobs for villagers have been created thanks to the booming tourism industry, with monthly tourism income exceeding 1 million yuan ($140,397).

The "flower appreciation economy" has helped the village achieve rural revitalization, and last year, the village's revenue amounted to 2.1 million yuan.