A bird's-eye view of Xiaojing village in Fuyang district, Hangzhou. [Photo/Xiaojing Village]

Rural dwellings in Xiaojing village, Fuyang district, Hangzhou, which have been praised by netizens as water town ink paintings hidden in the mountains, recently won the top Qianjiang Cup architectural award of Zhejiang province, local media outlets reported.

It was Hangzhou's only rural dwelling to be awarded this time and one of only two in the province to be awarded.

Nestled among hills and zigzagging waterways, the dwellings take advantage of the topographical differences in the village and feature a variety of stilts to meet the strawberry growing and tea making needs of villagers.

The original drainage works have also been transformed, with the rainwater and sewage being separated and terminal treatment beingupgraded.

The 59 rural dwellings and an exhibition center started construction in April 2018 with a total investment of 55 million yuan ($8.12 million) and were put into use in January 2021.

"We hope to bring out the poetic idea of the gurgling streams flowing across every household," said an official of the village.