Feature: Red fruits of Funiushan -- how cornus revitalizes a rural Chinese town

ZHENGZHOU, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Nestled in the heart of Funiushan Mountains, Miping Town in Nanyang City, central China's Henan Province, bustled with activity as three-wheeled carts and small trucks laden with dried cornus fruits streamed into the local herbal medicine market. The air filled with the sweet-tart aroma of the mountain-grown treasure.

From November to mid-December each year, Funiushan's slopes glowed crimson as cornus berries ripened. Xixia County, accounting for over half of China's output, serves as the national hub for this medicinal gem, with Miping Town handling 70 percent of nationwide transactions through its vibrant marketplace.

At dawn, 71-year-old Liu Jihua, his leg-impaired son and daughter-in-law trekked up mist-shrouded trails with bamboo baskets and steamed buns. For an hour, they navigated frosty paths until reaching jade-red clusters hanging amid withered foliage. While Liu plucked high branches, the couple gathered fallen fruits, their fingers stained ruby-red.

Funiushan's ecological richness -- where the Yellow, Huaihe, and Yangtze rivers originate -- earns it the title "the water tower of central China." The region's dense forests and cool climate create ideal conditions for cornus, whose frost-kissed berries develop thicker flesh and potent medicinal properties at altitudes of 800 to 1,200 meters.

"Rain reduced yields by a third this year, but prices rose," Liu explained, sipping tea on a mossy rock. Dried, de-seeded berries fetch 50 yuan (about 7.1 U.S. dollars) per kilogram, ensuring his family earns 20,000 to 30,000 yuan during harvest. "These little red fruits are our golden eggs," he chuckled.

Cornus trees, once neglected as "rotting treasures" due to poor management, now sustain elderly villagers while luring youth home. Government initiatives such as market platforms, protective pricing agreements, and processing facilities have transformed the industry. Liu's daughter, Liu Peilin, quit the motorcycle sales job in Xixia to livestream sales, proudly showcasing "mountain-grown red jewels" to online audiences.

Jin Xing, Party chief of Hangshang Village, who returned from urban jobs in 2018, established standardized plantations and launched the "Yu Laotou (Cornus Grandpa)" brand to promote eco-friendly cultivation. "Our elderly climb mountains with hope; youth find opportunities here," he said. "Authenticity, not fame, drives our success."

By afternoon, Miping's market thrums with traders haggling over premium batches. The town now hosts over 100 merchants, cooperatives linking thousands of farmers, and an annual throughput of 7,000 tonnes, valued at over 400 million yuan. Seventy percent of residents engage in cornus-related work, boosting per capita income by 5,000 yuan annually.

From backyard saplings to digital sales, the cornus industry has evolved into a robust ecosystem. "Planting, harvesting, processing -- this chain secures our future," Jin noted. The fruit not only sustains Funiushan's ecological heritage but also fuels rural prosperity.

As rivers wind through Xixia's verdant hills, locals celebrate their "eight mountains, one river, one field" landscape. "Without felling trees or mining, these red fruits prove mountains can nourish wealth," Liu said.