[ VO ] Life is an adventure, and it draws some of us to the unknown!
[ VO ] I'm Rick. I was the first American radio DJ to live and broadcast in China.
[ VO ] My voice has travelled to almost every corner
here. China is beautiful, complex, and mysterious.
[ VO ] Magnificent landscapes and the most interesting encounters with real people
who live here, and that's what attracts me to the road. I want to meet them.
This is China!
[ VO ] It's a nice afternoon, and I'm here on the
ancient Great Wall. The Great Wall is the most
magnificent super project in the world, and it's
a symbol of will power, courage and strength.
[ VO ] Today, another super project to help people
get rid of poverty has just been completed. It is to
make sure that everyone enjoys the right to live with
equality and dignity. And it is an inspiring story.
[ Rick O'shea American Dj In China ] Behind me is the desert,
and then you see a portion of the Great Wall. You see
that, there is a tower there, it still stands. And it's
really incredible to see it from this place, the Gobi Desert.
[ VO ] The Gobi is semi-desert. The hard soil here is
covered by rocks and gravel. Heavy sandstorms and little
rainfall make it highly uninhabitable. However, in the 1990s,
1.2 million people came to live in such an environment.
[ VO ] Who are they? Why did they come here? How are they today?
[ VO ] With these questions in mind, I come to
Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northern China.
[ VO ] This is Li Huiqin. I noticed him on the Chinese social media a month
ago. The agricultural products he's selling are from Minning Town in Ningxia
Hui Autonomous Region, a new town built on the Gobi Desert. It's difficult
to bring Minning Town together with the barren Gobi Desert in my mind.
[ Li Huiqin Deputy Head, Minning Town,
Temporary Official From Fujian Province ] Come close, here we go!
[ Li Huiqin ] Deputy Head Li here with Rick, who's come to look at Minning Town
[ Rick ] I'm Rick. And happy to be here. I’m happy to be here.
[ Li Huiqin ] We're happy too
[ Li Huiqin ] If you like our videos with Rick,
subscribe to Deputy Head Li for the coolest content
[ VO ] I met Li Huiqin, the social media influencer, in the vineyard. I'm surprised
to find out that he is actually an official from Fujian Province to work on
poverty alleviation here. He's the first poverty alleviation official I know, and
I heard that they have the most challenging jobs among the civil servants in China.
[ Rick ] I've been to Fujian Province in southern China and
that's more than 2000 kilometers away and more developed than
Ningxia. In China, it's very natural for rich areas to provide
poor areas with technical, financial, and personnel support.
[ VO ] The workers in the vineyard are villagers from
nearby. Li Huiqin told me that these people were resettled
here over 20 years ago from Xihaigu for ecological
reasons. I decided to take a look in their village.
[ Life ] Hello - Hello
[ Life ] What's your name?
[ Life ] Ma Xiang
[ VO ] I love the smiles on their faces. They are in clean school uniforms, and
they are nice and polite. Their childhood is much better than their parents’.
[ Life ] Hi!
[ Li Huiqin ] Rick, this is Yuanlong, a new part of Minning Town
[ Li Huiqin ] It appeared here in 2012
[ Li Huiqin ] We've completely eradicated poverty here
[ Li Huiqin ] We planned the whole village ourselves
[ Li Huiqin ] Straight roads everywhere!
[ VO ] Yuanlong Village is the largest immigrant village
in Minning Town with about 10,000 residents from Xihaigu.
As the poverty alleviation official, Li Huiqin's job is
to help people in all possible ways to live a better life.
[ Li Huiqin ] Ma Yan, you home? [ Rick ] Ma Yan!
[ Li Huiqin ] Oh, hi! - Hello
[ Rick ] Thanks! Wow, this is nice!
[ Ma Yan ] Welcome, come in
[ Li Huiqin ] Hey, buddy, let's shake hands! He's still shy
[ VO ] The young mother here is Ma Yan. She and her family left Xihaigu
and moved here in 2012. The government offered them 3 such houses.
[ Rick ] Tell me about your home here. This looks different
than there. This looks older, and this looks new. Why?
[ Ma Yan Head, Hemei E-Commerce Poverty Alleviation Workshop,
Minning Town, Ningxia Region ] The government offered us this house,
it was already here when we arrived
[ Ma Yan ] His parents built this new part on their own
[ Ma Yan ] At first, it wasn't very comfortable
[ Ma Yan ] I mean, taking a bath and things were
hard, but now there are solar panels up there,
so it's very comfortable now
[ Li Huiqin ] The basic utilities are better now [ Ma Yan ] Especially water
[ Ma Yan ] In the old house, we had to carry water in, with a bucket in each hand
[ Ma Yan ] Now you just turn on the tap and you have running water
[ Ma Yan ] It's like music
[ Li Huiqin ] The sound of it is like a sweet melody [ Ma Yan ] Yes
[ Rick ] I have always considered the water as kind of like music. And I was
amazed when she described the sound of tap water
as music to her. So, what is Xihaigu really like?
[ VO ] Xihaigu is in the south of Ningxia Hui Autonomous
Region, and is part of the Loess Plateau, which is the
largest loess accumulation area in the world. It is marked
by huge gullies and dry air. With an annual precipitation
of 300 mm, the amount of evaporation can be as high
as 2,000 mm, making it one of the most arid and barren
places in China, also known as ‘the land of despair’.
[ VO ] The per capita annual income is less than $100 dollars.
[ VO ] In the 1990s, China decided to relocate
1.2 million people from Xihaigu to the Gobi
Desert in northern Ningxia. Though surrounded by desert, this place is
a relatively humid basin as it is close to the Helan Mountain and the Yellow River.
[ VO ] And for people from Xihaigu, water means
hope and the opportunity to change their life.
[ Ma Yan ] There are 9 people in our family, and we used to make about 20,000 yuan
[ Ma Yan ] Now my husband alone earns that much
[ Li Huiqin ] True, incomes have grown significantly
[ Rick ] So, now you live better? [ Ma Yan ] Yes
[ VO ] Now that they are out of the mountains of
Xihaigu, they can enjoy better infrastructure and
convenient transportation. Men go to the cities to
get higher paid jobs, that's why Ma Yan’s husband is
always out working in other places and is rarely home.
At 6 o'clock every morning, Ma Yan makes breakfast
for the children. She's busy but she always wears
a smile, and that's heart-warming for her children.
[ VO ] Ma Yan sends away her children and then rides her
scooter for 3 minutes to the workshop. Here, she is no
longer a mother, but an excellent team leader. She and
30 other housewives are now members of a professional and
efficient e-commerce team, selling local agricultural
products to all parts of the country through live streaming.
The poor Xihaigu didn't offer them any quality education,
but now, they have found a way to pursue their dreams.
[ Li Huiqin ] Wu Chu, hi! I'm going back to Xiamen on the 30th
[ VO ] The Mid-Autumn Festival is an important occasion
for a family reunion in China. Li Huiqin is going back to
his family in Fujian, but he will also bring with him the
task of selling Minning agricultural products in Fujian.
[ Rick ] Well, here is where they store the wine. Pretty incredible. And to be down
here, well, it's very special because I'm going to meet Mr. Li. He came here for
one year, but he stayed for two years, because he thought it was his duty to come
here and help people. See what he has to say and let's taste some wine with Mr. Li.
[ Li Huiqin ] Cheers!
[ Li Huiqin ] To Xiamen for the holidays
[ Rick ] So, you came here for one year, but then you decided to stay another year. Why?
[ Li Huiqin ] I felt one year wasn't enough to complete my job
[ Li Huiqin ] I needed another to help people reach a decent living standard
[ Li Huiqin ] We've been progressing to this goal
[ Shao Qingsong General Director, Ningxia Lilan
Winery ] Li has helped us a lot as deputy head
[ Shao ] We sell our wine in more places now
[ Shao ] This boosts the local economy
[ VO ] Mr. Shao, the winery owner, told me that the people
of Xihaigu will always remember the help of Fujian people.
[ VO ] For more than two decades since 1997, a 2,000-strong group of experts,
doctors and teachers came here with money and technology, to support local
people in developing industries of grapes, mushrooms and beef cattle breeding,
and the people of Xihaigu have since settled down in the Gobi Desert.
[ VO ] For thousands of years, the Yellow River runs on, carrying 1.6 billion tons of
sediment, causing pain and suffering to people, while also developing
the resilience and diligence in the character of Chinese people. And I know
that the stories of Fujian people and Minning will
go on, just like the ever-flowing Yellow River.
[ Rick ] It’s a cold November afternoon. These workers
are standing in mud that goes almost up to their waist.
They are looking for little razor clams. They'll
collect these clams in the mud and then they will sell
that to other farmers who will grow the clams to a
bigger size. You might think this is terrible work. They
think this is good work. It's steady work. And these
people are very hard workers. I respect what they do.
[ VO ] Over a thousand years ago, a mysterious group
started to live on the waters along the southeast coast of
China. They spent all their life on the water. The boat
was their home, and they made a living off the sea. They
were known as ‘poor people on water’. They had crooked
legs and small bodies and were bullied and humiliated by
people on land. They were not allowed to settle down on
land, marry people on land, nor go to schools on land.
[ VO ] In 1949, real change started for the life of the
boat people. They were granted the equal rights of
living on land and they too shall be respected. And
for the first time, they had land, houses and schools.
[ VO ] The mountains block the winds from the Pacific Ocean, and the streams from up the
mountains flow down into the salty sea. Now,
they have settled down on land, they have turned
this vast area of tidal flats into an amazing aquatic base, which is nurtured by the
regular tides and sea water, bringing them
fortunes unimaginable in their ancestors' times.
[ VO ] The homes of these people are right by an expressway, and that is Xipi Village.
[ Rick ] It's about 5 or 6 metres long. Until recently, people
lived on this boat. Not only did they live there, they
had family there, and they even had livestock on the boat.
But where are these people now? We are gonna find out.
[ Lin ] Hello, Rick [ Rick ] Hello
[ VO ] Mr. Lin was a middle school teacher, and now he studies the history of people
living on water and has just completed the construction of the museum in Xipi Village.
[ Lin Chengzeng Party Committee Secretary, Town Of Xiwei,
Fujian Province ] This is where the first people settled
[ Lin ] Six families moved here in 1956
[ Lin ] During the second wave,
our government provided tap water, power, roads, communications, radio, and television
[ Lin ] And the boat people gradually began to move to land
[ Rick ] So, this is the second phase. This is like Fujian style.
And this is where things are improved for the people. I see.
These are wooden houses, stone houses, and then four-story
buildings. They are the living history of the changes in these
people's lives in the past 65 years. A total of 2,716 people have
moved onto the land and everyone here is a part of the history.
[ VO ] Out of fear of the unknown, the 57-year-old Liu Dezhu
moved to land in 2013, the last person to do so in the village.
[ VO ] From his home, Liu Dezhu goes to the pier where his diesel boat
is docked. He goes to his farm every day to check on the oysters. The
strong thrust of the diesel engine quickly brings them away from the
shore. In the past, Liu Dezhu had to paddle for an hour for 5 kilometers.
Oysters like to live in the shallow sea where fresh water meets sea water.
Liu Dezhu earns more than 30,000 US dollars every year from his fishing rafts.
[ Liu Dezhu Resident, Village Of Xipi, Fujian Province ] These are seed oysters
[ Liu Dezhu ] They grow big fast
[ Rick ] It’s very, very beautiful here.
[ Liu Dezhu ] Yes, it is
[ Rick ] But this is your farm, right?
[ Liu Dezhu ] Yes, the row over there and these two are mine
[ Rick ] So, how many people work with you on this?
[ Liu Dezhu ] Two people help with the oysters, and there just over 10 altogether
[ Liu Dezhu ] We lift about 600-700 oyster cages out every day
[ VO ] When he's done checking his oysters, Liu Dezhu
came to the fishing rafts of his neighbour to help.
[ VO ] They are taking fish out of cages to ship them to further waters for
growth. In this way, the fish will be bigger, taste better and sell better.
[ VO ] On my way back to the fishing village, I saw a huge transport ship parked on
the water. My friend Mr. Lin told me that these transport ships are village property.
They create more than 200,000 US dollars of income for the village every year and
priority will be given to elderly care,
healthcare and the children's education purposes.
[ VO ] The tide ebbed. The unique tidal flats are
out. The fishing people are sowing the razor
clam seeds. As I walk along the rows of oyster
cages, I see wonderful views in the sunset.
The boats and fishing rafts are swinging
gently in the light, setting off ripples on the water. For those
who had lived on water, this is probably what a dream life looks like.
[ VO ] The Bamboo forest is in Anji County, Zhejiang Province, and
it’s about 200 kilometers away from Shanghai. There is a village
called Yucun, which is where I'm going today. It is said that one
million tourists go there every year. Let's go and have a look.
[ VO ] With such fresh air and beautiful rural scenery, you could leave
everything else behind. I'm walking on this road in the village.
It has beautiful flowers on both sides. And the person I’m about
to meet lives in one of these beautiful houses. What’s he doing?
[ Life ] They won't be done for a few days - Maybe, but they're working on it
[ Life ] Will these 2 stoves be enough? - I'm still deciding, don't worry
[ Life ] We need to set up a spot for them over there - Let's put them here first
[ Life ] Another stove arrives in two days - In the mean time, we'll use this one
[ VO ] Pan Chunlin is the one I'm visiting. Right now, he and his wife are arguing over
the replacement of stoves. They run this
Chunlin Villa together and it’s very busy here.
[ VO ] The day starts with orders in Chunlin
Villa. The guest rooms are cleaned, laundry done,
fresh food ingredients prepared. Everything is in
order. This has become the routine in the villa.
[ Pan ] This is building № 3
[ VO ] Moreover, Pan Chunlin has to receive groups
from across the country that are here to learn.
[ Pan Chunlin Owner, Chunlin Villa,
Village Of Yucun, Zhejiang Province ] We have our own
family brand, family management, and family operations
[ Pan ] It's a joint effort
[ VO ] Pan Chunlin is sharing his experience with family
hotel owners, and his kitchen is also very busy.
[ VO ] They will be catering 500 tourists today. All family members are staff here.
[ Xie Chunhua Pan Chunlin’s Wife ] Noodles with meat
[ VO ] Everyone knows what to do. And they are working very
well with each other to prepare nice local food for tourists.
[ Xie ] Which table asked for noodles? - Table 2
[ VO ] The courtyard is soon full of tourists
waiting for food. As delicious dishes are brought to the table
one after another, travel fatigue is gone. The restaurant is full of joy.
[ VO ] One group goes in, one group comes out. And there
are three big trees here. I believe this is my hotel.
[ Rick ] This is Chunlin building. Why? Why Chunlin?
[ Man ] It's the owner's name [ Pan ] My name is Pan Chunlin
[ Rick ] So, you're Pan Chunlin? - Yes
[ Rick ] I see. That’s why.
[ VO ] I think I'm very lucky. Chunlin Villa is the most well-known
family hotel here. This four-story building is Pan Chunlin's home and
also the first hotel in the village. It can provide food for 200 people
and rooms for 50. Busy as he is, Pan Chunlin received me himself.
[ Xie ] This is fried meat with bamboo shoots
[ Xie ] The meat is fried with young bamboo sprouts, it's very tender and tasty
[ Rick ] Wait a sec... Are you his daughter?
[ Xie ] No, no!
[ Xie ] No, I'm his wife!
[ Rick ] Really? Your wife? You are a very lucky man.
[ VO ] I love their smiles.
[ VO ] They receive thousands of tourists every day during the peak season.
[ Pan ] This table, please
[ Pan ] You can order with that girl in black
[ VO ] They are tired, but very happy. They were the poorest people
in the village, but now, they earn at least 500,000 dollars a year.
[ Rick ] So, I want to know, did you always have a place
like this? Well, how long have you had this place?
[ Pan ] I used to work in the mines as a tractor driver
[ Pan ] It was a dirty job, and a dangerous one
[ VO ] The mines were shut down and the government
encouraged the development of a green economy.
Pan Chunlin thus started his family hotel amid all
those doubts. Soon, the mountains turned green.
Pan Chunlin paid off all his debts in just two
years' time, and the number of tourists in Yucun
Village were increasing. The villagers see for
themselves the point of ecological conservation.
[ Pan ] This clay soil is washing down from the top
[ Rick ] So, you need to be careful [ Pan ] Right
[ Pan ] Watch your step!
[ VO ] Pan Chunlin and I come to the mine where he used to work. It has been
transformed into a scenic spot to tell people the story of Yucun village, and
its reconciliation with nature. The mines are closed. There are no more
explosions or injuries. Yucun Village is no longer engulfed by dust or poverty.
[ VO ] The scene is beautiful here. Thank you, Yucun
Village. This is an unforgettable journey. Things may
have been difficult at the beginning, but they end well.
And we learn from these stories that poverty is not
scary. When we bring everyone together, we can turn
abandoned factories into places of hope, just like
this rice field. And next, I'm not sure where we are
going, but I hope it's close to nature. We will see.