With "comfortable and convenient facilities" and "high-quality service", Zhang said she gradually earned a good reputation from her guests, who would recommend her farmhouse and service to family and friends who became regular customers.

"My farmhouse and service aren't based on advertising hype. They sell by word of mouth," she said.

In 2012, the government introduced more favorable policies and improved the infrastructure in the village to generate economies of scale. It aimed to reconstruct Guo Jia Gou village into a well-organized and well-resourced tourist attraction.

Zhang is quite a successful model for this in the village. To gain a comparative advantage over other farmhouses, she redecorated the house earlier this year to keep up with the latest fashion and accommodate the popular "bed-and-breakfast" style. She invited a Korean designer to design the facade and applied traditional Chinese decorations in the interior. The farmhouse includes three suites and two double rooms, which can accommodate up to nearly 30 people.

"The design of the house has a very artistic touch and Mrs. Zhang is an excellent cook," said a guest from Beijing surnamed Guan. "I will bring my family and friends here next time."

Today, Zhang still insists on cooking for her guests all by herself and is proud and pleased when people praise her cooking and her easy-going character.

(Chen Jiaying is master student majoring in international journalism and communication at Tsinghua University, and is on a field survey tour with her classmates in Tianjin and North China's Hebei province from Nov 2-7.)