A pair of photos showcasing what the open-air theater at the Huaxiacheng Scenic Area looked like before and after the massive transformation project in Weihai, East China's Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

With the approval from the Weihai government, Xia started treating and greening the quarrying-torn area in 2003.

Xia's decision was met with opposition from his family and colleagues who couldn't understand why he poured money into mountains from which others achieved wealth through quarrying.

"My heart was broken when I saw the beautiful and peaceful place of my childhood was damaged. I wanted to restore it to let our children enjoy it," Xia said.

To realize his vision, the entrepreneur spent all of the money he has made in his career and ended up in debt.

As of 2023, 5.16 billion yuan ($711 million), including 1.925 billion yuan of bank liabilities, had been invested in treating and greening the old quarries as well as building them into the popular leisure destination that it is today.