At an ancient house in Xizhou town, Dali Bai autonomous prefecture in Yunnan province, visitors are often surprised by a blonde foreigner who greets them with a big smile and fluent Chinese.

He is Brian Linden, an 58-year-old American who runs the Linden Center hotel, rebuilt from an ancient compound with distinctive features of the Bai ethnic group.

In 2004, he sold his house in the US and went to China with his wife and sons, trying to find a place to settle down, and finally chose Xizhou, a town close to Erhai Lake and Cangshan Mountain.

"Foreigners make up a large proportion of travelers who stay in our hotel. I want to introduce Chinese culture to them," Linden said.

He also organizes international education activities which enable young foreigners to study in Xizhou, and see the true China.

Linden has witnessed the development of the country, and speaks highly of China's efforts to alleviate poverty. "Even people in remote areas of China have the chance to change their life through college entrance exam, and they are often optimistic about their future."