Chongqing, as the exclusive municipality directly under the Central Government in West China, has secured enough food and clothing, compulsory education, basic medical care, and housing for more than 1.8 million poverty-stricken rural people via bringing together talent, technology, and other resources. The poverty rate has decreased to 0.12%, and poverty on a regional scale been alleviated.

The mountain revived with help from urban areas

In the fungus harvesting season, people were getting busy in the morel greenhouse in Lianhua Village, Sanyi Township, Pengshui County. Jian Chunrong and his wife from a poverty-stricken household worked near the house, with a monthly income of 4,000 to 5,000 yuan.

In the fungus harvesting season, people were getting busy in the morel greenhouse in Lianhua Village, Sanyi Township, Pengshui County. Photo by Liu Chan/ Xinhua News.

Jian Chunrong gave a thumbs-up to Hou Chunjun, general manager of Chongqing Wobang Agricultural Co., Ltd., in front of the reporter. "We are able to harvest cash plants in the hilly area thanks to the 'industrial head of the village.'"

Hou Chunjun moved all his assets to Lianhua Village: He invested funds in building a greenhouse and a processing workshop, so as to extend the industrial chain to the field. He provided technology and developed products such as morel noodles and mushroom soup cans. The villagers have no longer made small money by collecting wild mushrooms like their ancestors, but turned themselves into inspiring stories about "how to earn 20,000 yuan with one mu of land."

The magnificent scenery and the nice ecological environment in the mountain are put into good use thanks to the integration of urban and rural resources.

Not one less

Chengkou County is located in the hinterland of the Qinling-Daba Mountains. The 40 needy students out of 10,200 are inconspicuous but special. They are severely disabled ones that can only be taught at home across the county.

Su Biwei, who comes from a poverty-stricken household, though, now lives in a low-rent house and enjoys a minimum living allowance. All he worried about was his 12-year-old daughter Xiaorong who suffers from cerebral palsy and epilepsy. What should he do about her education?

Students practice aerobics on the playground of Lianhua Primary school in Liaozi Town, Chengkou County, southwest China's Chongqing municipality on September 3, 2019. Photo by Liu Chan/ Xinhua News.

Yang Mei, a teacher from the special education school in the county, offered to teach Xiaorong at home. The teaching aids for the special class include 12 colored pens, one rattle, and five building blocks. The class starts with playing. The girl was weak in grip, so she was instructed to hold the square block before the round one for gradual improvement.

"The 40 disabled children are all taught at home, two-class hours a week, no matter how bad the weather is," said Xu Shanqing, deputy director of the Education Commission of Chengkou County.

This February, four counties in Chongqing, such as Chengkou and Youyang were lifted above the poverty line, which means all of the 18 poverty-stricken districts and counties in Chongqing have shaken off poverty. "There are currently 24,000 needy people and 26,000 who just got rid of poverty and need further improvement." According to Liu Guizhong, director of Chongqing Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, the absolute number is not high, yet it represents the greatest difficulty of poverty relief and priority among priorities.

Taking a new road towards happiness

The terraced fields have been renovated by villagers through consultation. The current Huatian has attracted many tourists with its beautiful terraced landscapes. Photo by Liu Chan/ Xinhua News

The impetus to get rid of poverty and a fighting spirit should be stimulated. Spring plowing admits no delay. The watergate on the hillside in Huatian Township, Youyang County, was opened, and the gurgling stream irrigates the rice fields. The annual output value of the "Huatian Rice" exceeds 30 million yuan.

Ran Tingbiao, secretary of the Party Committee of Huatian Township, said that the key to poverty alleviation lies in the respect and guidance for the masses. Farmers should have a say in what they know.

The terraced fields have been renovated by villagers through consultation. The current Huatian has attracted many tourists with its beautiful terraced landscapes. The peasants are benefiting from tourism and looking forward to a better new life.