The butterfly valley in Maandi township has been gaining popularity among domestic and foreign tourists, and the residents have set up rural homestays and restaurants to cater to their needs. According to local authorities, more than 2 million tourists have visited since 2010.

Yang Tingcui, who owns a local grocery store and a hostel, said that she is glad of Jinping county's growing popularity and the increasing number of travelers.

"I strive to keep my rooms clean so that tourists can have a good rest here after they've experienced the mountains and the butterfly valley," she said.

Kazuo Unno, chairman of the Society of Scientific Photography in Japan, has been snapping pictures of natural landscapes for decades and has a particular interest in butterflies.

The 76-year-old visited Jinping in late May upon the recommendation of his Chinese tour guide.

"I have traveled to Laos and Thailand in the past and seen how butterflies rest by the riverbank, and I was excited to discover if there were similar sceneries here in China," he said.

Contact the writers at wangxiaoyu@chinadaily.com.cn