There’s an old saying: Mother nature always takes back what she gave. That is absolutely the case here.

Hidden in the Shengsi Archipelago, China, lies an abandoned fishing village, where every man made structure has been overtaken by lush green vines. Houtou Wan Village is located on Gouqi Island, which belongs to a group of 394 islands known as the Shengsi Islands.

Once a thriving fishing community, now Houtu Wan village is a deserted tomb, slowly engulfed by nature. Resources started depleting, the industry started shifting towards industrialization in tone with the rapid growth of the country and so, at one time, the villagers left their houses in search for a better living in the city, leaving everything behind.

What happened next is stunning: Nature reclaimed its own. Every wall, window, crack and other traces of man-made construction have been filled by green plant life, turning the place into a surreal Tolkien’s Shire-like place. One might say the place has been made so deliberately, and not by Nature alone. Wood Elves would gladly call this home.

Jane Qing, a photographer from Shanghai captured the beauty of this coastal village. Breathtaking stills show a great contrast to the abrupt looks of the metropolitan areas in China. The whole place has an eerie, rainy look that only pictures can describe.

It took only 50 years for the greenery to plume like that! And by the looks of it, it won’t take long until nature will cover all of the human traces.

Images via BoredPanda, MyModernmet.