Bamboo brings big bucks to village

GUANGZHOU — The sight of clusters of bamboo drying in the sun serves as an inspiration for 48-year-old Tan Futing as he pursues prosperity.

Tan hails from Manchang village, Hedong town, which is located in Lianshan Zhuang and Yao autonomous county in Guangdong province. The village is known for producing lizhu, a kind of slender bamboo ideal for making fishing rods, ski poles and fences due to its straightness and sturdiness.

The bamboo goes through a process that involves washing, drying, screening, grading, cutting, lashing and packing.