Gold prospectors from other provinces started appearing in the village in the 1980s, and the mountain soon became a collection of privately owned mines.

"They brought nothing but a hammer to look for gold in our backyard," Wang jokes.

Some villagers worked for the mine owners, while others tried to open their own mines, though this was often too expensive for them.

Wang's older sister worked in a mine workshop for a decade, milling the ore. Sometimes, all she got in terms of a daily salary was sweet potatoes.

The local government shut down Jiangjia's small quarries in 2000, citing safety concerns, after which the village chief founded a corporation to take over the mining industry.

Most of the villagers have given up growing apples and corn since the gold mine boomed. But now they are beginning to think again.

"The mine will become exhausted eventually, and we must think about how our descendents are going to survive then," 46-year-old village official Lu Yijun says.

In response, the village began a huge project to level some hills and create 200 hectares of farmland in 2008.

Additionally, there are plans to make Jiangjia a tourist spot. Blueprints of an ambitious resort are displayed in the village's two-story office.

The project is set to cost 2.2 billion yuan ($347 million), and 300 million has already been spent, Lu says.

Few villages can afford such a big project, Lu proudly adds.

Just a few hundred meters away from the office, another resort, with a handful of villas, are also under construction.

"Gold is how the village prospered," Lu says. "Gold brought us from rags to riches in the 1950s."

Currently, more than 80 percent of villagers own cars - some more than one. A new road connecting the village to Zhaoyuan is being built as traffic jams are common.

However, due to decades of isolation, mainly caused by poor transportation, many villagers such as Lin Cuiqin are poorly educated.

"When we were asked about the village's future development, I found myself unable to write my thoughts down," Lin says.

The village authority has taken steps to remedy this situation by inviting college professors to give lectures.

This year, 40 high school graduates went to college. The village has produced 180 college graduates in the past 10 years.

"We encourage them to come back after graduation," Lu says. "The village provides at least 50,000 yuan to help them start a business here."

Young bachelors in Jiangjia typically seek out partners with a higher education. "This is how we can become better in the long run," village official Lu says.

By Wang Kaihao, Zhang Yue and Wang Qian (China Daily)