Luxury hotel operator Aman will open a location outside of Shanghai in Q3 2017 that is the culmination of years of restoration and conservation efforts to preserve an ancient forest and historic Ming and Qing dynasty dwellings, and is described by the company as its “most ambitious project to date.”

Amanyangyun, as the retreat will be called, gets its name from the phrase ‘Yang Yun,’ meaning ‘the nourishing of clouds,’ and is described as a celebration of nature. The resort sits at the heart of an ancient forest of camphor trees – some more than 1,000 years old and 100ft tall – which have been painstakingly transported 700km (435 miles) to Shanghai from the Jiangxi Province in eastern China.

The trees were moved after the construction of a reservoir threatened their existence, and Jiangxi-born entrepreneur and philanthropist Ma Dadong led a team of botanists, engineers and specialists in Chinese architecture to move both the trees and 50 historic homes from villages that were threatened with flooding.

Amanyangyn used the disassembled dynasty homes to create 26 villas, which feature ornate carvings and reliefs dating back two millennia.

Designed by Kerry Hill Architects with landscapes by Dan Pearson Studio, the 26 remastered Ming and Qing Dynasty houses are set within the now-flourishing relocated camphor forest, and include 13 four-bedroom villas. The resort also includes 24 one-bedroom suites, all designed with a restful, earthy palette with interiors finished in wood, stone and bamboo to create a minimalistic, clean, light-filled aesthetic.

The Aman Spa is devoted to holistic health, fitness and wellbeing, and includes 10 treatment rooms, a hydrotherapy suite, a private hammam, Russian banya, nail and hair salon, and specialised area for reflexology.

Chinese martial arts and Tai Chi are offered along with yoga and Pilates, which have their own specialised studios.

The resort also includes 12 antique residences and 18 new residences, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, six dining venues and a 200-seat banquet hall.