Modern infrastructure helps boost coffee quality, sales in Yunnan's village

Xinzhai Village, Baoshan City of southwest China's Yunnan Province, has seen significant improvements in both the quality and sales of its coffee products, thanks to advancements in infrastructure and connectivity construction.

Baoshan is a renowned coffee-growing region in China. In the past, however, poor transport links have undermined its coffee crop's profitability.

Now, farmers can transport their coffee in record time to all parts of China and globally, as modern infrastructure has transformed the region into a hub for shipping premium coffee.

Nan Mingqin, one of the coffee farmers, has been busy trimming the excess branches on her coffee farm to ensure that the beans can absorb more nutrients.

Nan talked about the days when the roads were unpaved and incomes were meager.

"Back then, this was just a dirt road, riddled with potholes, making travel difficult especially when it rained. Now, it is a wide concrete road with a pathway leading to each household. Transportation used to be inconvenient, and there was no internet access. We only sold our roughly processed beans to international brands for making instant coffee. Prices were low, so was our income," she said.

In response to the challenges, local authorities have initiated efforts to improve the transportation to boost coffee sales.

"Coffee prices have remained low since 2012, making it hard for farmers to earn a living. They were losing money. To develop the coffee industry and boost incomes, we made a plan for building a sustainable road network. We designed it to also support tourism in the future. Thanks to the improved infrastructure, coffee lovers now come here from all over the country," said Wang Jiawei, head of Xinzhai Village.

In 2017, Wang took the initiative to transform an old village committee building into the first coffee estate in the village.

"Initially, we got a businessman from Shenzhen to run it. At that time he bought our beans at a price of 60 yuan per kilo. The tenfold increase in price shifted the mindset of our coffee farmers. We realized that only by growing and managing the coffee crops well and producing high quality coffee could we make a profit," said Wang.

The improvements in infrastructure, including internet access, has enabled villagers to learn new farming techniques and marketing strategies for their coffee products.

"Now that we have better roads and internet access, we can learn from the outside world and embrace new ideas. We're processing the beans in different ways, like washing, sun-drying and honey processing. I'm also learning how to roast my beans. For me, coffee has become more than just a cash crop," said Nan.

As the village's infrastructure continues to improve, it attracts more tourists, which not only enhances coffee sales but also broadens the villagers' visions.

"Our village has become a tourist destination. Many visitors try our coffee and like it, so they place orders via WeChat. I'm now packaging and shipping some orders. by meeting more tourists and talking to them, I've learned a lot about other places," said Nan while packaging the coffee beans.

Modern infrastructure helps boost coffee quality, sales in Yunnan's village

Modern infrastructure helps boost coffee quality, sales in Yunnan's village

As the Qingming Festival approaches this Friday, various traditional folk activities have been held across China, celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the occasion.

With a 2,500-year history, Qingming Festival, or the Festival of Pure Brightness, observed in early April, uniquely combines ancestral worship with the celebration of spring. Falling on the 15th day after the spring equinox, this ritual-rich observance reflects China's enduring values of ancestral veneration and inspires deep introspection about what gives life meaning.

In Sijia Village, Huayin City, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, a unique swing festival is held to mark the occasion. Eighteen different types of traditional swings, such as the spinning wheel swing, the Bagua swing reminiscent of a rotating carousel, and the balance swing designed for two people, have attracted many visitors.

Historically, Sijia Village served as a military post guarding the strategic Tongguan pass, a former mountain pass and fortress located south of the confluence of the Wei and Yellow Rivers. The swing tradition in the village has its origins in military training exercises like climbing and river crossing. The local swing culture further developed as regional trade flourished, eventually evolving into the "swing festival" that continues today.

"It's very exciting and tests your skill, endurance, and most importantly, your arm strength. You need to maintain balance," said Qu Xiangyang, a visitor.

In Rudong County, Nantong City, east China's Jiangsu Province, another traditional Qingming activity takes place - kite flying.

Flying kites as a way of making wishes is an age-old Qingming custom in this region. As a result, the Qingming Festival in Nantong is also known as the "Kite Festival."

The local Banyao whistling kite making skills is listed as one of the first national intangible cultural heritage items.

According to a folk culture expert, people traditionally write the names of diseases or misfortunes on paper, attach it to a kite, and release it into the sky. This practice is believed to drive away illness and disaster, while also serving as a way to make wishes.

In south China's Guangdong Province, a large tug-of-war competition is underway in Maoming City. Teams from different towns and streets are competing, attracting many locals to cheer on their teams.

Tug-of-war, which originated during the late Spring and Autumn period (770 BC - 476 BC), became part of Qingming customs during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty once organized large-scale tug-of-war competitions for the festival.

"Tug-of-war became very popular in the Tang Dynasty, even emerging as the national sport. It originated in the Jingchu region and later spread across the country. In ancient Lingnan (Southern China), tug-of-war games were a common tradition. Through these events, people seek to pray for peace, prosperity, and abundant harvests," said Yao Guojun, vice dean of the College of Arts and Law, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology.

Traditional folk activities held for Qingming Festival