Improvement of once rough roads has transformed a village in SW China

02:02

Having mountains, hills, plains and plateaus, southwest China's Sichuan Province is full of diverse landforms. In ancient times, the section of Luojiang District in Deyang City, a part of the Golden Ox Road, was the main traffic link between Sichuan and other places.

Golden Ox Road (L) and the modern road (R).

Surrounded by the rough Golden Ox Road, Wanfo Village in Luojiang County has been hampered development.

However, the construction of modern roads in recent years has built a bridge between the village and the outside world. The village has developed a tourism industry that integrates the internet, agriculture and rural inns to drive the local economy.

"Now the traffic is better. Every year when the harvest comes, tourists from all over the country drive here to pick imperial jujubes and experience the country life," said Jin Liqiong, director of the village committee.

A cart used in ancient times to carry goods.

The village built with characteristic industries like its well-known specialty, imperial jujubes, which has attracted more and more tourists from all over the country, has promoted the development of the local economy.

"Before, after the jujubes were harvested, we used our shoulders to carry them to the town to sell. Now, the village has been developed, a modern road has been built and a delivery company has settled at the jujube base, allowing villagers to sell jujubes directly through WeChat and e-commerce platforms. The villagers' income is several times higher than before," said Mi Yunda, resident of Wanfo Village.

"In the past, we only had three people with 6,667 square meters of land to grow jujubes and earned several thousand yuan a year. After the development of the village, we now have an income of more than 100,000 to 200,000 yuan a year," he added.

Imperial jujubes.

There are 3,245 residents in the village. Before, the per capita income was less than 10,000 yuan a year, but now the per capita income is more than 20,000 yuan a year. Imperial jujube planting households have an income of more than 70,000 yuan a year.

Nowadays, the road is no longer rough and the construction of it has transformed the small village.

A corner of Wanfo Village.

(Images and video by Wu Jinjing, and edited by CGTN's Gao Yuxin.)

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