Henan farmers strike a prosperous note with pipa

Traditional musical instrument helps raise people out of poverty

For centuries, Chinese farmers have battled poverty with sickles and hoes. Now, they have a new tool: the pipa, or Chinese lute.

Xuchang village in Lankao county, Henan province, is known as Pipa Village. It has abundant paulownia trees, an ideal raw material for making the four-stringed instrument, and 54 workshops.