Hu said besides making money he also wants his theme park to salvage folk arts that are on the verge of extinction. Hu is trying to employ masters of folk craft at his theme park. Fifteen topnotch artisans, in a wide range of crafts including straw braiding and leather-shadow puppet art, have promised to work for him.

Big industry from a small fruit

Meixian County, 120 kilometers west of Xi'an, capital city of Shaanxi Province, has the perfect climate and soil for growing kiwi fruit. Taking advantage of the natural conditions, local farmers have developed the cultivation and processing of kiwi fruit as a pillar industry. According to statistics, the total plantation area of kiwi fruit in Meixian County has reached 6,667 hectares, accounting for one third of total cultivated land. The total revenue of kiwi-related industries is 260 million yuan annually. Income from planting kiwi fruit accounts for 43 percent of farmers' per capita net income.