Dongguan veteran farmer struck it rich growing tea over 6 years, leading villagers onto the road to prosperity

Gaopaizai Village in Xinwei Community, Houjie Town, is surrounded by mountains on three sides and sits in the upstream protection zone of the Henggang Reservoir drinking water source. Villager Dai Yusheng, 56 this year, after several years of effort, has found a path to wealth - he rented 18 mu of land and successfully cultivated more than 700 golden camellia (Camellia petelotii) trees, known as the "giant panda of the plant world," along with more than 2,000 Hainan rosewood (Dalbergia odorifera) trees. Starting last year, his golden camellia trees began to bloom and bear fruit, bringing him generous returns.

Dai Yusheng, now prospering, said what he hopes for most is to receive support from the government, pass on his successful experience, lead more villagers to prosper together, and also develop golden camellia cultivation into a distinctive industry for Houjie.

Last year selling flowers and leaves brought in more than 300,000 yuan

The morning before last, beside a mountain corner in Gaopaizai Village, Xinwei Community, Houjie Town, the reporter met Dai Yusheng, owner of a three-dimensional forestry cultivation garden. He was plainly dressed, with graying temples. "Welcome, welcome!" He reached out to shake hands, his hands covered in calluses.

His cultivation garden holds more than 700 golden camellia trees and more than 2,000 Hainan rosewood trees, said to be worth more than 20 million yuan. "These are the golden camellia trees I cultivated over more than 5 years. Look, aren't they growing well?" Dai Yusheng said proudly.

Led by Dai Yusheng, the reporter toured his cultivation garden. Among the hundreds of golden camellia trees, the large ones already measure 10 cm in diameter, while the small ones are only about 3 cm in diameter. "Don't underestimate them. A large one currently sells for nearly 20,000 yuan on the market, and even a small one sells for no less than 1,000 yuan. Starting last year, these 700-plus golden camellia trees began to bloom. Last year, 1 kg of dried golden camellia flowers sold for 8,000 yuan. Last year I harvested more than 6 kg of dried flowers and sold them for nearly 50,000 yuan. This year's output is estimated to be twice last year's." Dai Yusheng said enthusiastically.

He told the reporter that besides selling dried flowers, the leaves of the golden camellia tree can also bring in income. Every autumn, after pruning the branches and leaves, a batch of golden camellia leaves can be collected. Once dried, they can be used to make tea, with a market price of more than 500 yuan per jin.

Because of this, last year he earned more than 300,000 yuan, which delighted him and his family. This was his first harvest in 6 years. "If things continue like this, in a few more years I'll be able to recoup my investment."

Most hopes to receive support and lead villagers to prosper together

Seeing Dai Yusheng's success in growing golden camellia trees, friends came one after another to learn from him. Some friends even bought saplings from him to plant at home, joining the ranks of golden camellia growers.

For every sapling Dai Yusheng sells, he includes a planting book, and he often visits people's homes to teach them planting techniques. "I think good things should be shared. My friends recognize me, and I'm very happy about that," Dai Yusheng said. His technique for growing golden camellia trees has gradually matured, and he now grows 4 different varieties of golden camellia.

"What I hope for most now is to receive support from the government. I'll pass on my successful experience to the villagers so everyone can prosper together, and also make golden camellia cultivation a distinctive industry for our Houjie," Dai Yusheng said hopefully.

Planting story

He once lost everything - tea trees bought for 200,000 yuan all died within a year

Dai Yusheng did not succeed right away.

In early 2011, he and his family traveled to Guangxi and visited the famous local Golden Camellia Park. After learning about the value of golden camellia, the "giant panda of the plant world," he conceived the idea of starting his own golden camellia garden.

"I started growing lychee and longan in 1983, planting dozens of mu. Busy all year round, the income wasn't very high, and I had to depend on the weather. If I could successfully grow golden camellia trees, the income would be extraordinary," Dai Yusheng said. He compared the climates of Guangxi and Guangdong and believed they were very similar. He also had years of experience growing longan and lychee. So after returning home, despite his family's objections, he took out all his savings of 200,000 yuan, went back to Guangxi, bought about 200 golden camellia trees, hauled them back by large truck, and began planting.

"Isn't it just planting trees? Is it really that hard?" At first, Dai Yusheng was full of confidence. He cleared a sunny patch of mountain land in Xinwei Village and planted the golden camellia trees. However, cruel reality dealt him a heavy blow. "The saplings bought back in March died one after another within a few months. By the end of the year, they had almost all been wiped out," Old Dai said.

"Back then I argued with him every day. He was really too bold - to lose more than 200,000 yuan in less than a year!" Dai Yusheng's wife, Aunt Ying, still cannot get over the disastrous situation of those years. "With all his fussing, our life savings were completely lost. We didn't know what to do."

"What on earth was the reason?" Unwilling to admit defeat, Dai Yusheng thought it over and over, searching for the cause. He had his son help buy some books online about growing golden camellia trees, and he also returned to Guangxi to learn on-site how to grow them. Each trip lasted a week. In this way, he carefully studied and experimented repeatedly.

Unwilling to give up, he tried again, borrowing 600,000 yuan to learn techniques on-site and finally reaping a bumper harvest

During that period, besides studying with books in hand, Dai Yusheng went to Guangxi for on-site observation.

In the spring of 2012, Dai Yusheng borrowed more than 600,000 yuan from relatives and friends, went to Guangxi again, and bought a second batch of more than 800 saplings, which he brought back to Xinwei to plant.

He spent almost every day in the tea garden, carefully observing the growth of the golden camellia trees. "I understand now." One day in midsummer, Dai Yusheng stood in the tea garden at noon, the scorching sun blazing on his body, burning hot. "Golden camellia trees like shade. Although I had already set up protection, it probably wasn't enough." Dai Yusheng suddenly saw the light. He found that although Guangdong's climate was similar to Guangxi's, Guangxi's humidity was on the heavier side. "I need to mimic Guangxi's humidity."

So he chose a new site to plant the golden camellia trees, and drawing on a friend's practice of planting golden camellia under two rows of rosewood trees, he planted them the same way. The two kinds of trees, one tall and one short, did not affect each other, and the rosewood trees had lush branches and leaves in summer, which was just right for shading the golden camellia trees. He also had his son buy sprinkler irrigation equipment online and installed fully intelligent pipes above the golden camellia trees to spray water vapor regularly, in order to regulate the humidity for the golden camellia trees.

After a period of careful tending, his golden camellia trees grew better and better, with a survival rate of over ninety percent, and last year he reaped his first bumper harvest.