Editor's note: As protection of the planet's flora, fauna and resources becomes increasingly important, China Daily is publishing a series of stories to illustrate the country's commitment to safeguarding the natural world.

On a clear morning, the Yunhe rice terraces emerge from the mist like green staircases climbing toward the clouds. Water shimmers in thousands of stepped paddies, their stone walls traced along the contours of the mountains of Yunhe county in Eastern China's Zhejiang province.

Once abandoned, these 1,000-year-old terraces have undergone a decade-long ecological restoration campaign, transforming the postindustrial landscape into a global model of sustainable rural development, now attracting nearly two million visitors annually.

The lush environment and clean air are what brought Wang Long, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner from Henan province, to the mountain village of Kenggen.

"The environment here is first-class," said Wang, who had spent 15 years working in TCM clinics in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, before packing his bags for this remote corner of Zhejiang. "The water is the best I've ever seen — sweet, no rust. It's quiet. And there is commercial potential. For me, it's perfect," he said.

Wang runs a small clinic in a stonewalled house in Kenggen, offering free trials to guests staying at nearby homestays. If they like it, they pay for follow-up sessions. In his first two months, he earned nearly 15,000 yuan ($2,200). His rent is negligible. "I sell my skill," he said.

Kenggen, a village of 800-year-old folk homes scattered across the terraces, was not always so inviting.

Two decades ago, this area was known not for its scenery but for mushroom farming.

As cheaper competition from central and western China flooded the market, young villagers fled to cities to find work, and the ancient terraces fell into neglect.

Today, these terraces are a global showcase — honored at COP15 in 2022 as a model of Chinese "landscape engineering", and again in 2025 with the Food and Agriculture Organization's recognition for effective practices and innovation in helping transform agrifood systems.

The story of Wang's arrival and Kenggen's revival is the latest testament to the Chinese policy mantra "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" — a core principle shaping the country's modernization drive.

At the county government compound in Yunhe, a giant stone is inscribed with those exact words.

"Only when protection is done well can sustainable development be possible," said Cao Haiping, deputy director of the county's development and reform bureau. "Local governments should guide the process so that those who protect the environment can benefit. That creates a virtuous cycle."