Prosperity comes with pencils and rice

This year, more than 400 hectares — half the village's total arable land — have been planted with the new varieties.

"Even before the rice harvest I was receiving orders," said Xun Jinde, a resident. "I planted nine hectares of rice and expected to have an income of 300,000 yuan."

In 2010, the village finished a residential construction project with an area of 50,000 square meters. All the villagers have moved into their new homes.

The village also invested 500,000 yuan to improve supporting facilities, including roads, heating systems, water supplies and drainage, greening and other ancillary facilities, with a view toward improved quality of life.

"In the future, we will build a sewage treatment plant and implement garbage sorting in the village," Zhang said. "We'll build a beautiful village with high standards."