Farmer Zhou Zhencai, 63, poses with a symbolic brick, as he is complaining about a brick factory that is encroaching on farmland in his neighboring home village of Yongan, on February 27, 2006. Despite legitimate fear of retaliation, once they knew reporters were in Yongfu, farmers from around came and talked to us about their problems with corrupt officials. We were sorry we couldn't do for them as much as they thought was in our power.
It was -25 C in Heilongjian province when I went there with a journalist in February 2006 to meet poor Chinese farmers. Heilongjiang is one of China's poorest provinces, with an average income per capita of 7,141 yuan in 2004. China has 200 million people living below the $1/day poverty threshold, according to World Bank 2004 estimates.
