Story of a college graduate beekeeper

Yun Zhiqin was born in a village in Luquan Yi and Miao Autonomous County, Kunming, capital city of Yunnan province. In 2006, he was admitted into the Biological Technologies and Applications Department at Simao Normal College. In the eyes of his parents, going to college means bidding farewell to rural life and even securing an "iron rice bowl".

But Yun Zhiqin thought differently. He had loved bees ever since he was a child. After conducting a market research, he found that beekeeping required little investment, but had good market prospects. During his sophomore year, Yun Zhiqin broached the idea of starting a beekeeping business to his parents, but was met with opposition.

The opposition of his family failed to discourage Yun Zhiqin. He learned beekeeping with money set aside from the allowance given by his parents, while also pursuing his studies. In September 2007, Yun Zhiqin bought seven packages of bees, rented a house outside the campus and began to practice beekeeping.

"No beekeeper is immune from bee stings, but over time, the body will produce antibodies." Yun Zhiqin revealed that at first he was often stung by bees, leaving him with swollen hands and feet. 

In early spring of 2008, Yun Zhiqin's efforts finally paid off: 42 kilograms of honey were harvested from 18 beehives. The honey was sold at 40 yuan per kilogram, earning him more than 1,600 yuan. The modest success solidified his confidence in entrepreneurship. By the time he was in his fourth year of college, he owned 50 beehives.

Upon graduation from college, Yun Zhiqin set up his own breeding base. Today, Yun Zhiqin owns five bee farms and earns 400,000 yuan a year.

By Li Haiqiu;  Editor: Eric Wang