Lankao county enjoys notable change

Lankao county in Central China's Henan province had long been plagued by sandstorms, floods and unproductive saline soil. As Party chief of Lankao county, Jiao Yulu (1922-64) mobilized the people to plant paulownia to combat the poor natural conditions during the 1960s.

He became a symbol of the honest Party official who devotes himself tirelessly to the people. His heroic deeds have aroused people's introspection and exploration for the value of survival. People in Lankao have been sticking to that strategy while adapting skillfully to changing circumstances. They improved their living standards and transformed the face of the county.

Paulownia is now helping a new generation of Lankao people to become well-off. In recent years, Xuchang village, Xuyang town, in Lankao county, has become well known across the country as the village of Chinese national musical instrument. The villagers have made full use of the local paulownia resources to develop the musical instrument business, including more than 30 varieties of zither, pipa and guqin. Due to the special climate, soil and other geographical factors, the paulownia in Xuchang village enjoys a reputation for its moderate density and natural texture. Among the similar tree species across the country, the paulownia here is premium for making musical instrument soundboards that boast high acoustic quality and resonance performance.