Before the development of Huangling Village in the 1980s and 1990s, it faced numerous issues. In terms of infrastructure, the houses were mostly of old Huizhou-style brick and wooden structures left over from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which were in disrepair, with common problems such as leaks and tilting. Additionally, there was no running water system, and villagers relied on mountain springs or self-dug wells, with water quality affected by the seasons, and severe water shortages during the dry season.

The roads leading into the village were narrow and rugged dirt or stone paths, only passable by motorcycle or on foot, with no public transportation, making it difficult for villagers to travel and transport goods, which had to be carried up from the foot of the mountain. Economically, Huangling Village was primarily based on traditional agriculture, such as rice, rapeseed, and tea, with villagers having low incomes, an average annual income of less than 3,000 yuan, which was at the poverty level.

Educational resources were scarce, with no complete primary school in the village, only a small school in Xiaorong Township named Huangling Primary School. Some families, due to transportation difficulties, had no choice but to let their children drop out or delay enrollment. Many young and middle-aged people worked outside the village, leading to severe hollowing out of the village. Medical conditions were also backward, with no formal medical institutions in the village, only simple clinics or reliance on folk herbal doctors for treatment. Coupled with the potential for geological disasters, such as landslides, and the problem of poverty, the villagers were eventually relocated to a new Huangling Village.

The germination of Huangling tourism dates back to the turn of the century. Around the year 2000, for the reputation of the terraced fields and cloud seas, as well as the pristine ancient villages, s photography enthusiasts came here and their shutter clicks first broke the silence of the ancient village's farming life. Keen villagers saw opportunities in the shadows and lights of the film, and some households were the first to open their ancestral home doors. They offered farmhouse dishes in coarse pottery bowls, set up simple beds in wooden attics which created the original business model of "photography guiding + farmhouse accommodation and meals." This unintentional encounter, starting from the autumn drying customs and ink-washed mountain dwellings, not only brought the ancient Huizhou village hidden in the depths of the Shi'er Mountain into the public eye for the first time, but also quietly completed the villagers' enlightenment from traditional farmers to cultural and tourism service providers, laying a historic foundation for the later transformation into "China's Most Beautiful Village" in terms of cultural and tourism.

In 2009, Wu Xiangyang (current chairman of Wuyuan Huangling Tourism and Culture Co., Ltd.) was leading a team to investigate Huangling Village when he was struck by its quintessential Huizhou ancient village layout. The houses, built in accordance with the natural terrain, were arranged in a terraced pattern. The dark tiles and white walls were interspersed with century-old camphor and maple trees, while tens of thousands of acres of terraced fields wound around the mountains like chains and ribbons. What moved him most, however, was the villagers' custom of "drying in autumn" — using windowsills and rooftops to dry crops. Those colorful crops placed among the gray buildings, were like natural pigments used on Huipai ink painting, showcasing the agricultural aesthetics of harmony between man and nature.

This three-dimensional village, embraced by ancient trees and surrounded by terraced fields, had perfectly preserved the Huizhou settlement wisdom of "mountains as the skeleton, water as the blood vessels, and forests as the hair." It made Wu Xiangyang realize its irreplaceable value for tourism and culture. He immediately launched a tourism development plan. To smoothly advance the relocation, Huangling Village established a self-governance group composed of villagers' representatives. The group was mainly responsible for negotiating with the development company on important matters such as relocation and resettlement, and the construction of the new village.

In 2010, the enterprise signed a tourism development agreement with the local government, investing 12 million yuan to build 68 resettlement houses, 24 sets of elderly and single apartments, and supporting infrastructure by the rural road with convenient transportation at the foot of the mountain and near the village farmland. By the end of 2011, a total of 320 villagers in Huangling Village were relocated as a whole.

From 2012 to 2013, Huangling launched a systematic protection and development project. It carried out "restoration to original appearance" rescue repairs for 126 Ming and Qing ancient buildings. Huizhou traditional craftsmen were employed to use the "one wood, three carvings" technique, and old bricks, tiles and ancient wood raw materials were used to restore the building texture. For 32 dangerous houses in geological disaster areas, the strategy of "overall off-site relocation" was adopted. Through three-dimensional mapping and component numbering, the ancient houses were completely moved to the new village and their original appearance and texture were preserved. At the same time, a double-line circulating cableway was built to connect the terraced field viewing platform and the core area of the ancient village with a "jade belt in the clouds". This not only solved the traffic bottleneck in the mountainous area, but also formed an aerial viewing corridor. This transformation that takes into account heritage protection and tourism upgrading has enabled the overall activation of the autumn sunning farming customs, terraced field settlements and intangible cultural heritage architectural complexes, laying a physical space foundation for the integration of culture and tourism.

Since being officially designated a national 4A-level tourist attraction in 2014, Huangling has entered a period of rapid growth and transformation. This prestigious recognition brought widespread attention to the village and laid a solid foundation for its emergence on the international tourism stage.

Building on this momentum, Huangling has remained dedicated to preserving its unique heritage while continuously enhancing the visitor experience. In terms of village protection, ancient Huizhou-style dwellings have been carefully restored to retain their original charm, ensuring the authentic character of the historic village is preserved for future generations.

In landscape design, Huangling has made creative use of its terraced field resources. By planting a diverse array of flowers and crops in accordance with the seasons, the village showcases the beauty of “four-season scenery,” each with its own distinct appeal:
? Spring brings brilliant seas of blooming flowers;
? Summer features lush green terraces and vibrant scenes of sun-dried fruits and vegetables;
? Autumn is alive with fiery red maple leaves and the bustling activity of traditional autumn drying customs;
? Winter transforms the village into a snowy wonderland,complete with festive folk traditions.

This seamless integration of cultural preservation and seasonal landscape design has made Huangling a year-round destination, drawing visitors from around the world to experience its timeless beauty and living heritage.

To enhance the overall visitor experience, Huangling has made significant investments in upgrading its supporting infrastructure. Transportation networks have been improved, sightseeing routes optimized, and a wide range of leisure, entertainment, dining, and accommodation options introduced. These include charming boutique homestays and traditional snack streets that offer an authentic taste of local culture.

At the same time, Huangling has actively expanded its publicity efforts by leveraging new media platforms to reach broader audiences. The village regularly hosts a variety of vibrant cultural events—such as the Autumn Sun-Drying Cultural Festival, Flower Festival, and Internet Celebrity Festival—which have attracted widespread media coverage and drawn visitors from across the country and beyond.

Today, Huangling stands as a remarkable success story—transformed from a once-declining ancient village into a nationally celebrated tourist destination. What was once a poverty-stricken community has become a model village for rural revitalization and prosperity.

The average annual income of local residents has soared from just 3,500 yuan before tourism development to 56,000 yuan, with some entrepreneurial households earning as much as 1.5 million yuan per year. The scenic area itself has created 380 direct jobs for local residents, generated employment opportunities for over 1,300 villagers in surrounding areas, and supported 215 households in launching their own businesses—effectively turning poverty alleviation into shared prosperity.

Meanwhile, the once-dilapidated village has undergone comprehensive restoration and high-quality preservation. This achievement reflects not only significant economic gains but also deep social value, representing a true dual success in both heritage protection and sustainable development.

? May 2013: Named the Best Rural Tourism Destination by China News Service.

? October 2014: Recognized as China’s Most Beautiful Leisure Village by the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China.

? November 2014: The Huangling Shaiqiu (Drying crops in the autumn sunshine) was awarded the “Most Beautiful Chinese Symbol” by the Beautiful China Committee.

? August 2015: Designated as a Model Village for Rural Tourism in China by the National Tourism Administration of the People’s Republic of China.

? August 2016: Selected as a Demonstration Project for Rural Tourism Poverty Alleviation by the “Scenic Area-Driven Village” initiative of the National Tourism Administration of the People’s Republic of China.

? August 2017: Awarded the Asia Tourism [Red Coral] Award - Best Tourist Town by the 21st Century Economic Report and Nankai University’s College of Tourism and Service.

? May 2019: Recognized as a Demonstration Village for the Development of the Business Travel and Culture Industry in China by Chinese Business Travel and Culture Magazine.

? July 2019: Named a National Key Village for Rural Tourism by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China.

? September 2019: Received the Red Coral Award of Asia Tourism from the Red Coral Award of Asian Tourism Committee.

? Awarded the Selected as an annual featured ancient town by the China National Travel Editorial Department and the China National Travel Annual List Selection Committee.

? October 2023: Honored as the “Best Tourism Village” by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

? February 2024: The Huangling Shaiqiu Cultural Festival was awarded the “2024 AsianPinnacle Award - Best Outreach Program (Community).”

? December 2024: It has been recognized as a national 5A-level tourist scenic area by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China.