In the early winter mist along the Qingliu River, Dongmaiyao village near Laoshan Mountain in Qingdao is animated. At a homestay, a local villager is tidying the courtyard. "We used to worry about making ends meet in our old stone houses. Now, we earn 60,000 yuan ($8,520) in annual rent and more each month working at the homestay. Life is sweeter than honey!" she says.

Nearby, an old fishing boat decorated with ceramic fish and colorful porcelain pieces honors the village's maritime past and is a popular photo spot.

"Back in 2014, our village was in debt. But by turning old houses into homestays and developing tourism, we changed our fortunes," explains Li Shaoliang, Party secretary of Dongmaiyao. With the help of State-owned enterprises, the village preserved its stone-wall aesthetics while upgrading infrastructure. Muddy roads became paved pathways, and crumbling yards turned into charming inns.

Wu Xin, founder of the Laoshan Wushe and a local entrepreneur, remembers the village's muddy paths and vacant houses in 2015. Today, her business runs 14 courtyards, employs 24 villagers, and is fully booked during peak seasons.

In neighboring Ximaiyao village, 128 out of 174 households now operate homestays, hosting over 180,000 tourists each year with accommodation revenue exceeding 35 million yuan.

"Old houses that once rented for 20,000 to 30,000 yuan a year now fetch up to 150,000 yuan. The average annual income here exceeds 50,000 yuan per person," says Tang Shengjia, the village's Party secretary.

"By uniting as one, we turned fragmented resources into a collective strength," notes Qin Zetao, an official of the Shazikou sub-district.

Eight villages in the area have formed a homestay alliance, combining over 300 quality inns into a provincial-level tourism cluster that generates more than 400 million yuan annually. From struggling coastal communities to vibrant destinations, these villages have woven tradition, beauty, and opportunity into a new tale of shared prosperity.

In the early winter mist along the Qingliu River, Dongmaiyao village near Laoshan Mountain in Qingdao is animated. [Photo/WeChat account: yuexinglaoshan]