Last year, Guyuan planted 14 million mushrooms, raised 1.02 million chickens, kept 100,000 bee colonies, and cultivated 36,600 hectares of medicinal herbs and other forest-based plants, generating over 2 billion yuan in economic output, according to a government report.

Positioning itself as a city with ecological, cultural and tourism characteristics, Guyuan is integrating agriculture, culture and tourism to become a modern, beautiful city with a flourishing countryside and prosperous industries, Hua said.

Since overcoming poverty in 2020, the city has focused on strengthening industries, encouraging entrepreneurship and improving employment opportunities. Last year, the per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents increased to 36,222 yuan and 15,439 yuan, respectively — 2.1 and 3.3 times higher than in 2012. The per capita net income for those lifted out of poverty rose to 14,929 yuan, up 16.5 percent year-on-year.

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