In reversal of fortune, a remote village prospers

Jiang Jiaming was the first to make a fortune by selling turquoise through e-commerce platforms from Xiaying, a small mountain village in Yunxi county of Shiyan, Hubei province.

Jiang once made a living as a street vendor, working at construction sites, installing elevators and selling auto parts, all the while traveling to different cities. But 10 years of hard work didn't bring as much wealth as he expected.

In 2011, he learned that one of his classmates was making big money in Lhasa, Tibet autonomous region, selling Tibetan specialties and turquoise on Taobao, Aibaba's e-commerce platform. Jiang was inspired.

"The internet has no boundaries, so why should I leave home if all the business can be done right here?" he said.