In one of China's remote mountain counties, roses are more than just a beautiful plant. They're a path to prosperity. On the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in Sichuan's Xiaojin County, the Damask rose is transforming lives. Tao Yuan has the story.
This is the Damask Rose, named after the Syrian capital. One of the most prized flowers in the perfume industry, it's long been grown in Bulgaria, Iran, and Turkey. Now, it's taking root in an unlikely place – China's Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.
Four o'clock in the morning, Li Deqin is already in the fields with her family. The flowers are best picked before sunrise when the petals hold the most fragrance. Li Deqin, a Flower Farmer in Xiaojin County said, "The sky is starting to brighten. We have to hurry."
This is Xiaojin County, on the eastern edge of the Plateau. Here, these roses are blooming at more than 3,000 meters above sea level.
Tao Yuan Xiaojin County, Sichuan Province. "There are very few vast fields of roses stretching as far as the eye can see. But here, what dominates are these small, family-run rose plots. That means these farmers, mostly women and the elderly, can work right outside their home, tend to their fields, and look after their family at the same time."
Read more at CGTN
