China's iconic revolutionary base Yan'an bids farewell to poverty

About 20 years ago, local villagers started to grow Sichuan pepper trees, seeds of which are a popular seasoning found in Sichuan cuisine. But they had to sell the farm produce at very low prices to dealers who came by motorbikes.

"With the highway, we can sell peppers to factories directly at much better prices," said Fu.

Wang Ruixin, Party chief of Liuwantou village which administers Mashuping, said the annual per capita income of the village was 10,300 yuan last year, much higher than the national poverty line of around 3,000 yuan.