MUGWORT WORKS ITS MAGIC

Herb used in TCM is making a difference in impoverished county in Hubei province.

When Wang Xingjian arrived in Qichun, Hubei province, 12 years ago to buy mugwort from local farmers, he was surprised to find there was none available in the county, traditionally famous for producing the herb.

"Farmers only grew a few mugwort plants around their houses for their own use, and never thought of growing more for sale," Wang, a businessman from Qingdao, Shandong province, said. "For two years I could not get any mugwort, despite visiting the whole county."