In Shandong, apricot blossoms signal success

陈小将

Apricot trees bloom in Waiyu village in Xintai, Shandong province, attracting visitors and their cameras. [Photo by Chen Yang/For chinadaily.com.cn]
Thousands of apricot trees are blooming in Waiyu village in Xintai, Shandong province, nurturing hopes of a good harvest.

Nestled in a range of mountains, residents once struggled with poverty, as soil in the village is rocky and can barely produce grain.

To find a way to make a living, Fang Lizhang, the former director of the village committee, spent 10 years cross-breeding a new variety of apricot from local varieties. The new variety proved to be sweeter and yields more fruit.

Guided by Fang, villagers planted thousands of apricot trees on the mountains within three years. The trees have not only dressed up the village but enriched residents' lives.

Every March, the village is inundated by a puffy ocean of apricot flowers, heralding that spring in the air.