That turned out to be a blessing in disguise. When a famous Hong Kong photographer stumbled upon the place in the early 1980s, he marveled at the pristine beauty and hailed it as "rural China at its most enchanting". Now, the land of almost 3,000 sq km and 350,000 people is 83 percent covered by forest. And local authorities found that preserving the status quo is the best way to get out of poverty, so it banned logging and encouraged the use of electricity to replace wood burning.

The charm of Wuyuan lies not only in its residential architecture and its narrow streets with shaved-off edges, but in the way it is integrated with the environment. A typical village is nestled at the foot of a hill, with a river winding through. This is the ideal scenario for feng shui planning.

Shuikou, or literally the mouth of water, is the heart of a village. It is similar to a town square in Europe. Since water represents wealth, a particular section of the river where it flows into the village is given special importance. Usually a giant camphor tree grows there, with a water wheel adding a touch of rustic allure. Slightly raised dams, made of stone slabs, elevate the waterbed, so on one hand more water can be kept inside the village and on the other hand it provides this idyllic vista with the perfect soundtrack of the cadence of splashing water.

What is a river without bridges? Some of the villages have covered bridges so elaborate that romance between a photojournalist and a local woman seems enticingly possible. But no! These bridges serve as public spaces and leave little privacy for lovers. Rainbow Bridge, the best known, has brick pillars the size of houses and the shape of boats. Nearby is a path of stepping-stones that offers a riskier alternative of crossing the river with water threatening to submerge your shoes.

The tiny village of Likeng has a dozen bridges, some just one long stone slab. It recalls Suzhou and nearby towns except that over here the ancestors thought they could get far, far away from the maddening crowd. But modern-day travelers have sought them out and put them squarely on the map of must-see sceneries.

Wealth hoarded may not beget more wealth, but old ways well kept - water, bridge and all - have turned out best for both residents and visitors.

(China Daily July 16, 2009)