On March 3 this year, the relocated residents organized a long-table feast and celebrated the Lantern Festival following the Chinese New Year in their new homes.

The children's zigzag roads to school has become a trip on a school bus; seniors' daily farming work has turned into chatting and basking in the sun at their doors; and many young people, who used to leave town for better job prospects, have returned to work near their homes. A 5A-level scenic area, the nation's top tier, consisting of the bridge, the canyon and the nearby Shibadong village, draws tourists and has brought job opportunities.

The reservoir, set to guarantee water security for half a million residents in Jishou, is expected to be completed in the near future.

China Daily