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YINCHUAN, Dec. 30-- Longwangba, literally meaning flatland for God of Rain, carries the most sincere yearning of the generations of people living in the mountains in China's dry northwest. Located in Xiji County of Guyuan City in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Longwangba Village was once part of the most impoverished area. Guyuan, along with five other counties, is called Xihaigu, one of the world's most uninhabitable places due to its dry climate, high mountains and harsh environment. Jiao Jianpeng, 37, was the youngest of seven children in a farmer's family, and he grew up in Longwangba. His childhood memory of destitution is still fresh. "We lived in a house made of bare earth, and I had to support myself through college by selling tea-flavored eggs," he said. In 1997, Jiao was admitted to the Ningxia College of Finance and Economics. He was one of the very few college students in his village. Now, with a dedication to developing his hometown, sharp vision for commerce and support from the government, Jiao represents a new generation of poverty reduction champions across China's vast countryside, transforming the landscape of economic backwaters and breathing life into the once barren land. "Business has been quite good this year and we have seen a lot of tourists, campers and trainees. The village used to only be this crowded during the Spring Festival when migrant workers came home. Rural tourism is bringing life to the village," said Jiao. | 
