Xiangshan turns bamboo into wealth

It is an important way of solidly promoting common prosperity for farmers and rural areas to develop characteristic industries, focus on local specialties, and boost comprehensive rural revitalization through industrial revitalization. In recent years, the counties or districts in Ningbo have been exploring and developing local resources, developing rural characteristic products, and strengthening rural advantageous industries, based on local conditions. As of the end of April, a total of 32 products in Ningbo have been selected among the top 100 famous local specialties in Zhejiang Province.

On May 13, Zheng Kaiyuan, the young manager of the "Shibaxiang" Common Prosperity Workshop in Xizhou Town of Xiangshan County, was busy calculating the sales volume of bamboo shoots this season. After calculation, he was pleasantly surprised to find that the sales of steamed buns with bamboo shoot stuffing have exceeded 400,000 yuan since November last year. "This is a gift from the ten thousand mu of bamboo forest of our town," said Zheng Kaiyuan.

With nearly 100,000 mu of bamboo forest, Xizhou Town boasts of the richest bamboo resources and the most distinctive bamboo culture in Xiangshan County. In recent years, the town has adapted measures to local conditions and promoted the iterative upgrading of the bamboo industry, resulting in the emergence of a group of competitive, vibrant, and attractive characteristic agricultural products.

Reshaping the value of bamboo products

Since ancient times, both scholars and ordinary people have had a great fondness for bamboo. The resilience and integrity symbolized by the plant have made the value of bamboo products rise all the way.

In September 2018, Zhu Hongsu, a talented villager with abundant knowledge in the field of bamboo carving, returned to his hometown of Ruyayang Village and founded the Jianshe Zhiqiu Bamboo Carving Museum to help inherit the traditional bamboo culture of the village. His works are mainly armrests, pen holders, characters, fan ribs, tea utensils, and handpieces.

The demand for qualified bamboo raw materials by bamboo carving artists has given rise to a profession in the local area: bamboo seekers, and the 70-year-old Sun Agen is one of the professionals. "It has been 20 years since I went to the mountains to find bamboo or bamboo roots to sell for money, and I can earn 70-80 thousand yuan per year." said Sun Agen. Compared with working as a farmer, he could double his income by working as a bamboo seeker.

The continuous development of bamboo carving and bamboo root carving industry in Xizhou Town makes it possible for the local people to turn the once worthless bamboo and bamboo roots into wealth. According to statistics, there are currently a dozen of related enterprises and over 200 employees in the town, with an annual output value of 15 million yuan. The products have been exported to about 10 countries and regions.

Characteristic bamboo products gain popularity

The unique bamboo ingenuity has made the "bamboo" drinks and desserts of "Lu's Coffee" popular on social media.

"Lu's Coffee" is located in a residential area in Xizhou Town, but it has gradually gained popularity. During lunch break, a lot of customers come and buy coffee from the coffee shop.

"Our bamboo tubes are freshly processed and polished after being cut off from the mountain, so there is a unique fragrance in the drink, and thus we have a lot of repeat customers." said Lu Lingli, a local girl, who is the owner of this small shop. She grew up eating bamboo shoots and has a deep emotional attachment to the bamboo of her hometown.

Chen Hua is also trying to get wealth from bamboo. He led his team to develop the "bamboo fragrance" series of aromatherapy, pairing bamboo tubes with natural aromatherapy. After ignition, the unique atmosphere diffused makes people feel like they are in the bamboo forest.

Reportedly, the "bamboo fragrance" series of aromatherapy, with the bamboo forest elements from nearby rural areas, has become a unique "bamboo" themed souvenir for people. The product won a silver medal in the 2023 China Special Tourism Commodity Competition.

Integrating tourism with agriculture

Based on ten thousand mu of bamboo forest, the bamboo forest scenery, modern bamboo industry base, bamboo forest health and fitness base, bamboo forest homes, and green bamboo corridors have made up a unique scenic spots line of Xizhou Town.

The town has depicted a poetic and picturesque path of integrating agriculture and tourism based on its ideal ecology.

The third Xiangshan (Xizhou Town) Bamboo Culture Tourism Season officially kicked off on April 13 and it would last for two months. Such villages as Ruya Yang Village, Jianxizhang Village, and Bajiao Village have all carried out related cultural activities for tourism.

The activities include the bamboo shoots banquets, the folk opera performance and the bamboo fairs.

On the very day of the opening ceremony, the bamboo shoots banquets received over 5,000 tourists and over 10,000 steamed buns with bamboo shoot stuffing were sold out.

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