Chrysanthemums have become part of the lifeblood of Shanlian village. [Photo/Weibo account: Frank75]

Chrysanthemums have become part of the lifeblood of Shanlian village. Dried chrysanthemums can be steeped in hot water to make tea, and can also be used as dishes. Shanlian's chrysanthemum plantation has grown from less than 0.01 square kilometers a decade ago to roughly two square meters today.

"In addition to flowers grown for tea, we also have species used for food, medication and as bonsai plants," said Zhu Hong, NPC deputy from Shanlian village, adding that a packaged tea product made of chrysanthemums they developed jointly with Jiangnan University last year had sold much better than expected.

Zhu opened the first farm stay in Shanlian village in order to provide more dining and lodging options for tourists. Today's Shanlian has over 30 farm stays and restaurants built by villagers, as well as 13 teahouses, providing tourists with fresh, locally-grown vegetables and other traditional foods.

Shanlian village is a great example of how farmers can become rich through ecological construction. The Wuxi government will continue to promote employment for farmers and support the expansion of the rural vitalization strategy.