South African architect falls in love with Chinese scenic town

When Ian Hamlinton, 50, an architect from South Africa, visited a village in south China in 2009, he was fascinated by centuries-old houses and decided to stay.

Hamlinton said when he first saw the old houses in Jiuxian Village, Yangshuo county of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, they were in a dire state, but Hamlinton described the houses as "being amazing."

Hamlinton rented two rundown houses, built more than 150 years ago, on a 20-year lease for 120,000 yuan (18,000 U.S. dollars) from a local villager. He turned them into a village inn after renovation.

The village inn opened to the public after one year of renovation work to preserve the main house structure and many of the original features.

Hamlinton's success has attracted other outsiders to rent and renovate houses in Jiuxian.

Hamlinton said this shows that more and more people realize the value of these old houses, which can be better preserved after renovation.

The renovation wave has resulted in a boom for tourism in Jiuxian. Many visitors come to local homestays to experience authentic culture.