A US artist learns Chinese papercuts from a villager. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"I and many villagers disagreed with Sun over his rebuilding plans," says Hao, who gave up his apartment and returned to his hometown.

"Now I'm really happy with what has been done," he says.

Hao, 37, says that once Sun explained the cultural significance of the colors of the wall and tiles, for which he gained inspiration from traditional architecture in Henan, he understood what it was all about.

Hao has fruit trees in the courtyard and tea? trees in the backyard, key industrial activities in the village.

He has a son and daughter, both of whom attend the village school, the size of whose roll has swelled from just 50 students in 2011 to about 200 now.

"The whole village is full of life and, like me, many of those who moved away to cities have come back home," Hao says.