These pictures were taken in rural Hu county, and Changan district within Xian municipality (May-June 2009). The following are pictures of the Xian market, the wheat harvest in Hu county and Urbanization in Changan district.
One of the many open markets in Xian City.
This is the Summer 2009 wheat harvest in Hu county.
Famers have small plots of land, and as a result, they rent small combines to harvest the wheat.
Wheat Farmers: most of the famers in this region are in their fifties. Like this couple, their children are working and living in the city (either the county seat or a larger municipality). Many of the farmers we interviewed this summer confess that they are unsure who will farm the land in the future (i.e. after they are gone). Most of the young people do not want to farm and many leave the village.
Hanging out with farmers in Hu County: When asked if they think some of the young people in the village will stick around to farm the land in the future, he said, "Even if they do stay, none of them know how to farm." In addition, there is still a very important issue of consolidating plots of land to make farming more profitable for those who stay in the village to farm.
Shi Yaojiang with villagers: Shi is the director of the NSDRC.
Combine in a village near a rapidly expanding urban development in Changan district, Xian. Notice the sidewalk running along side the wheat fields.
This is a good example of family plot size. The one side of harvested land is for one family. He has parked the combine and is waiting for the other family to pay him, so he can harvest the next family plot. Also notice the encroaching urban landscape in the background.
The advertisement for the new car reads “Glory Appears on the Market.” The upper middle class dream for many Chinese is a private care, but the majority of the population still cannot afford this new glory. Many still use cheaper and more traditional transportation.
Still, with more cars on the road, there is a greater need for Chinese and "English" traffic warnings.
