Beekeeper's life sweet as honey despite hardship

Income from tending 170 hives, 3 million bees helped Anhui man buy a home and raise a family

For 53-year-old Ma Chao, beekeeping has been a way of life for 35 years. His 170 beehives house more than 3 million bees and are an everlasting family treasure.

The honey produced by the bees has provided Ma and his wife, Fu Xiuling, 46, with an income that enabled them to buy an apartment in Huaibei, Anhui province, where they conduct their business, and bring up two daughters who have attended top universities.