Painting helps boost Dong farmers' incomes

The bright colors and local themes of paintings by members of the Dong ethnic group in Sanjiang Dong autonomous county, in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, have made them popular with tourists and collectors.

Many of the painters are local farmers, like Yang Gongguo, who created a sensation among his peers in 1994, when he sold his first work to a gallery in Shanghai.

"The sale was amazing and encouraging as we began to be aware that there is a market for us," Yang, in his 60s, said. "From then on, our paintings started to gain fame and lots of farmers have joined our team."