Bamboo brings ecological, economic benefits to town in E China's Jiangxi

Photo shows sticky rice in bamboo tubes in Baishui village, Bizhou town, Suichuan county, Ji'an city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

As the morning mist still hangs in the air, Li Chunmei has already begun her day, preparing sticky rice in bamboo tubes at her home in Baishui village, Bizhou town, Suichuan county, Ji'an city, east China's Jiangxi Province.

Bizhou town has a long tradition of bamboo cultivation. Its moso bamboo forests, covering more than 10,000 mu (666.7 hectares), once generated only modest profits, as most of the bamboo was sold as raw material.

"A single stalk of moso bamboo used to bring in just over 10 yuan ($1.41)," said Li. "Now, with bamboo product sales and tourism development, our income has multiplied."

Photo shows bamboo products in Baishui village, Bizhou town, Suichuan county, Ji'an city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

At the moso bamboo cooperative in the town, the cooperative head, Liang Xinhua, teaches tourists how to weave bamboo baskets step by step. "This hat keeps out both sun and rain, and it sells for 30 yuan," he said.

The cooperative produces over 10 types of bamboo-woven items and offers hands-on experiences, creating jobs for more than 20 local households, with each earning an average of over 50,000 yuan in additional income annually.

With bamboo and tourism becoming increasingly intertwined, Bizhou has created a full bamboo-themed travel experience where visitors can savor bamboo-inspired dishes, stay in bamboo-themed lodges, shop for bamboo products, and try their hand at bamboo crafts.

Photo shows a walkway through a bamboo forest in Bizhou town, Suichuan county, Ji'an city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

"During holidays, many tourists come just to see the bamboo sea," said Li Ting from the town's culture and tourism office. Last year, Bizhou received 300,000 tourist visits and generated more than 5 million yuan in tourism revenue.

As the bamboo industry and tourism have become increasingly intertwined, villagers have shifted from cutting bamboo to conserving it. Today, the forests are denser and greener than ever, earning Bizhou the nickname "the natural oxygen bar."