CRACKING A TOUGH NUT

The county of Zuoquan in Shanxi Province in north China has gone through two transformations in the recent century. Originally called Liaoxian, its name was changed to Zuoquan in 1942 to commemorate General Zuo Quan of the Eighth Route Army, who lost his life there that year in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).

The second transformation took place last year when the inland county, which had grappled with poverty for over two decades due to its limited natural resources, was officially declared poverty free.

One reason for the poverty was the lack of arable land and growing wrong crops. Only 8 percent of the mountainous county is suitable for cultivation; the rest is largely covered by mountains and water. The farmers