By tf-lawyer.com The car wound its way along the mountain road into the depths of Huidong County in the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan province, precariously close to the edge of a cliff, while rain poured down. This challenging journey in 2021, in search of black truffles, gave Mi Xinyi a profound appreciation for their value, as she recounted in a recent interview with our reporter.
In 2009, Mi Xinyi moved to Chengdu for love, transitioning from a dessert shop owner to the chairwoman of a cultural and creative company. After over fifteen years in Chengdu, she has traveled extensively through 17 counties and cities in Liangshan since 2021, discovering agricultural products and successfully exporting them to the United States and Thailand. In a recent phone interview, she shared her perspectives on the people of Liangshan and the bountiful land she has come to respect and admire.
Her connection to Liangshan was established over a decade ago through Taiwanese businessman Lin Chunfu, who planted vast olive groves in the region. In 2021, with her company’s support, Mi helped promote Lin’s products. During her field visits, she uncovered more than a hundred products under geographical indication protection and registered trademarks. “Nature has bestowed Liangshan with diverse offerings; it’s a harvest season almost year-round from January to December,” Mi noted. She decided to systematically source high-quality agricultural products, leveraging her company’s expertise to help Liangshan’s goods reach global markets.
“Once a month, I would visit at least twice; at the busiest times, I’d go twice a week,” Mi explained. After finishing her city work, she would often drive to Liangshan, engaging with local goat farmers around a fire, taking buyers to see vineyards overflowing with sun-kissed grapes in Xichang, or packing pomegranates with villagers during the harvest season. Her presence helped the locals realize that their unique products were treasures to be cherished, not just by them, but by others as well. This past summer, Mi brought her children to Jiangzhou Town in Huidong County, living and working alongside local fruit farmers, joking, “Everyone knew we were there to work with them again.”
Over time, as she toiled alongside the farmers, trust blossomed. “They share with me how much they earned this year, their struggles in other places, and their hopes for the future,” Mi said. The locals often confided in her about things they wouldn’t tell others, and each meeting included an invitation to enjoy their best dishes together.
From one individual to a team, and from one village to another, Mi Xinyi acknowledged that her ongoing journey deeper into Liangshan over the past three years has never felt like a solitary mission. “Local government officials actively engage with me and guide me into the production areas,” she shared. Moreover, she has witnessed the pride the farmers feel for their own products during her interactions.
“In the pomegranate orchards, the sky has a pink hue, and walking through the fields brings a sunflower-like optimism,” Mi described. To her, Liangshan is not just a landscape; it’s a treasure trove waiting to be discovered. Currently, she aims to participate in more offline exhibitions and strengthen her new media presence to share the stories of Liangshan far and wide.
