http://www.bjreview.com FEBRUARY 13, 2020 BEIJING REVIEW 33
NATION
opened, ending the history of snow blockade
in the area.
The tunnel heralded a new era for the
township. It became accessible throughout
the year and the trip to the county seat took
less than three hours.
The easy access brought new things in
as well. Tourists and businesspeople from
other places in China started to explore this
land of idyllic beauty. The unique history and
culture of the Derung became known to
more people since then.
Into the new world
In 2018, the ethnic group shook off poverty,
a miracle for a township with such unfavor-
able natural and transportation conditions.
Many factors have contributed to this
miracle. The amomum tsao-ko, a spice and
medicinal herb that is well-suited to the local
climate, is a major one.
In 2007, Gao Derong, former head of the
township, led the locals to plant the herb. He
offered free training and seeds to villagers,
Copyedited by Madhusudan Chaubey
Comments to [email protected]encouraging them to join the project.
“Now, every household in the township
plants the herb,” Mu told Beijing Review. “My
family plants about 1 hectare, which can
bring over 30,000 yuan ($4,285) each year
for us.”
Mu said as his mother is the only one in
the family working on the farm, their income
is relatively low compared with many other
households in the town.
In 2019, the over 4,500 hectares of amo-
mum tsao-ko farmland in Dulongjiang had
an output value of about 11.25 million yuan
($1.6 million), according to Mu.
Other specialties including honey,
ethnic clothing and crafts have also been
picked up by the locals to increase their
income. For example, Derung blankets with
bright colored stripes, are gaining market
in big cities.
“The township nowadays is a brand new
world,” Mu said. “Many new houses have
been erected. Every family has moved into
a new house. Each village in the township
has been connected by road. With moretourists coming in, some local people have
renovated their houses into restaurants
and inns.”
In the early 2000s, a school offering six
years of elementary and three years of sec-
ondary education was set up in the township.
Children don’t have to travel to the county
seat for school education any more.
With the Internet and 4G network, the
township’s involvement with the outside
world has increased.
Local people are now opening online
shops to sell their products. “After the gala
was broadcast, some companies contacted
us for developing online business,” Mu said.
The 4G network covers the entire town-
ship, which is accessible to delivery service
providers. “We are ready to send more prod-
ucts from our township to more places in
the country,” Mu said. QA Derung family in Dulongjiang Township, Yunnan Province, dress up for a family photo on January 15
CNS
PH
OTO