Horqin, the hometown of Genghis Khan, used to be a herdsmen's paradise due to its lush grasslands and abundant water.

But today, the area is deteriorating into one of the largest expanses of sand, or even desert, in East Asia.

Tongyu, a county in west Jilin, faces the area's most severe desertification. It is also reported to be one of the poorest counties in the country.