Building on these achievements, rural vitalization now focuses on developing industries, attracting professional talents, promoting culture, improving ecological health and strengthening local organizations.

"Continuously consolidating and expanding the achievements of poverty alleviation, while firmly preventing large-scale relapse into poverty, is the fundamental task of rural vitalization," said Zhang Qi, head of the China Institute for Poverty Reduction at Beijing Normal University.

Zhang added that rural vitalization is essential to addressing unbalanced development and promoting common prosperity, while accelerating the building of a strong agricultural country and serving as a measure helpful in achieving rural modernization.

The "Snow Village" clearly shows how ecological resources can be used to deliver economic benefits, and similar efforts are being made elsewhere in China.