Mucheng: Small town with big changes in west Yunnan

Sharing  a 19.71-km-long border with Myanmar, the Yi and Lisu town of Mucheng lies in Longling County in west Yunnan.The infrastructure there used to be poor and transportation was inconvenient. 

“In the old days, you would be covered in dust on a sunny day and in mud on a rainy day on Mucheng. Each year, there were only three days you could go to the market,” said Wang Yunchang, an old man who has lived in Mucheng for over 60 years. "Now we have seen tremendous changes here. Every holiday, it is crowded with businessman coming from all directions.”

“Hello, is that Hu Yinmei speaking? An online friend from Guangzhou bought 5 kilos of Sanhuang grass from you, please check if the money has hit your account.” Yue Lixiang, a villager of Yutang Yakou Village opened an online shop at e-commerce platform Taobao. Several villagers bring the herb medicines and wild mushrooms they pick to her after they dried them out. The online sales of the shop have increased their income.

“The industry has developed and the circulation cannot be delayed. In addition to direct supply of partners, we also set up an e-commerce platform to promote “Internet + agricultural products” to solve the problem of selling and help with opening market outside the province,” said Liu Yong, secretary of the party committee of Mucheng Town.

“A Yi Culture Square has been built in our village so that we can sing and dance every evening. Many tourists come from far away during the Torch Festival and Chinese Valentine’s Day. Our special products like musical instruments and bows are popular with them.” When talking about the changes in his hometown, Yu Shiyou, a team leader of Huajiao Village, said happily with his thumb up, “Thanks to good policy, we are stimulated to get rid of poverty and become well off”.

“Now, the construction of the Mucheng Tunnel has started and the provincial highway and Ruili-Menglian Highway are going to be completed. All these will add to the vitality of Mucheng,” said Liu Yong confidently.

By Zhu Jinlei; Editor: Eric Wang